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JOURNAL 

OF A RECENT 

VISIT TO THE VINEYARDS 

OF 

SPAIN AND FRANCE : 

FORMING A GUIDE TO THE PROFITABLE 

CULTURE OF THE VINE 
IN NEW SOUTH WALES; 

AND TO THE MANUFACTURE OF THE VARIOUS 

WHINES OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND 

TO RIVAL THOSE OF 

FRANCE, SPAIN, AND PORTUGAL : 

ALSO, 

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL CULTURE OF THE OLIVE, 

WITH USEFUL REMARKS ON THE PREPARATION OF 
RAISINS, FIGS, ALMONDS, AND OTHER DRIED FRUITS, WITH AN ESTIMATE 
OF THEIR PROFITS AS ARTICLES OF MERCHANDISE: 

F0RM5NG A GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN FARMER, ETC. 

By JAMES BUSBY, Esq. 

*f 

OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



THIRD EDITION. 



SMITH, 



LONDON: 
ELDER AND CO., 

1840. 



CORNHILL. 



7 



^ LONDON 



STEWART AND MURRAY, PRlNTEHSj 
OLD BAILEY. 



PREFACE. 



The writer of the following pages had long 
considered that few things could be of more ad- 
vantage to the settlers of New South Wales, than 
a knowledge of the agriculture and rural economy 
of those European countries, whose climates are 
most analogous to theirs. 

He accordingly embraced the opportunity, 
aiforded by his late visit to Europe, to proceed 
to the south of Spain, and through various parts 
of France, in the hope that his observations 
might be useful to the Colonists. His attention 
was, in particular, directed to the culture of the 
vine, and the management of its products — a 
subject which, as most of our readers are aware, 
was not altogether new to him. 

The degree of spirit with which the plantation 
of vineyards had commenced in the colony. 



viii 



PREFACE. 



previous to the writer's departure, in February, 
1831, left in his mind no doubt of ultimate 
success. He himself had been the medium of dis- 
tributing upw^ards of 20,000 vine cuttings among 
upwards of fifty individuals, during the previous 
season, and many others were disappointed in 
their wishes to obtain a supply. The very fair 
quality of the wine made by Mr. Sadleir, at the 
Orphan School, near Liverpool, during two suc- 
cessive seasons, had also proved, beyond a doubt, 
that the colony was capable of yielding a very 
superior produce, from vines of a greater age, and 
on a more suitable soil, than that on which the 
vineyard at the Orphan School is planted *. 

The writer was, however, aware that most of 
the information which the colony possessed, upon 

* The writer having been favoured with ten gallons of this 
wine, of the vintage 1829-30, he took one-half of it to Eng- 
land in a small cask, and the other half in bottles. On his 
arrival in London, he had the whole put into pint bottles, 
and distributed among persons interested in the colony. Some 
of that which was taken home in bottles had spoiled, owing, 
as he is inclined to believe, to the bottles not having been 
previously washed with sufficient care. The whole of what 
was contained in the cask, although it had never been racked 
off or clarified, was perfectly sound ; and was pronounced, by 
every person who tasted it, including a very eminent Oporto 
wine merchant, and a very respectable Bourdeaux wine mer- 
chant, to be a very promising wine. The latter told the writer 



PREFACE. 



ix 



this subject, was derived from the practice of a 
much colder climate ; and though firmly persuaded 
that, in spite of any obstacles which might arise, 
the cultivation of vineyards would be eventually 
established as an important branch of the agri- 
culture of the colony — yet he conceived that a 
knowledge of the practice, pursued in more 
analogous climates, might do much to hasten this 
period, by the greater confidence it would inspire, 
and by the caution it would afford against errors 
that might otherwise require a lengthened and 
expensive experience to correct. 

There was, however, one important product of 
the vine upon which the colony possessed little 
or no information ; and upon which, although it 
formed the principal object of his expedition, the 

that he had opened one of the bottles given him, when he had 
a party to dinner. Among- the company were two of his own 
countrymen. " You know," he observed, " that my country- 
men always drink very light wine ; they therefore found it 
strong-, and thought it resembled port without brandy. I said, 
I found it more like Burgundy, and they agreed with me that 
it was so." The Oporto wine merchant observed that the wine 
was sound, but that it would very soon turn sour if not forti- 
fied with brandy. The writer has this day (25th October, 
1832) opened a" bottle which he brought back with him to 
Sydney, and has found it perfectly sound ; and, in his opinion, 
a well flavoured and strong-bodied wine. 



X 



PREFACE. 



writer is happy to say that there is little knowledge 
to be communicated, beyond that of its extreme 
simplicity and its great importance. The product 
to which he alludes is raisins. The writer will not 
anticipate the contents of his journal, farther than 
to observe, that at Malaga, the chief seat of this 
branch of industry, the variety of vine which pro- 
duces the finest Muscatel raisins will only grow 
in a very limited district. Beyond this district 
they are obliged to cultivate grapes of a very 
inferior kind, which it is necessary to preserve by 
dipping in a lye, and which are thence called 
Lexia raisins. The Muscatel raisins are dried 
in the sun, without undergoing any other process ; 
and though they, in fact, cost less trouble than 
the inferior sorts, the average value of the produce 
of an English acre is about 257. An idea of the 
profit of this crop, to the Spanish farmer, may be 
formed from the fact, that the ordinary value of 
an acre of Lexia raisins does not exceed 5L 

Great, however, as the profits of this culti- 
vation must be to the Spanish farmer, they would 
be more than doubled to the Settler of New 
South Wales. ' For, while the duty on the ad- 
mission of Spanish raisins, of the first quality, 
into England, is 2/. l^s. 6'o?., and on the inferior 



PREFACE. 



xi 



qualities, 1/. and 1/. 9^s, per cwt., the duty on all 
sorts, from British colonies, is only lO^. per cwt*. 

By a published account, it appears that the 
duty paid upon raisins imported into England 
during 1827, amounted to 163,513/.*; and by a 
return of the exports from Malaga for 18218, 
the earliest period for which the writer could 
procure it, it appears that 83,410 boxes, contain- 
ing 18,617 cwt. of Muscatel raisins, paying the 
highest duty, were in that year seift; from Malaga 
alone. 

It is believed by the writer, that by far the 
greatest proportion of raisins, paying the highest 
duty, is imported into England from Malaga; 
and he therefore thinks, that the whole quantity 
of raisins, paying the highest import duty in 
England, may be fairly taken at 30,000 cwt., and 
the quantity of inferior sorts will accordingly be 
about 80,000 cwt. 

From these statements some idea may be 
formed of the importance of such a branch of 
Agriculture to the Colony, should it be found to 
succeed. From what he has heard of the soil 
and situation of the district of lllawarra, the 
writer has great hopes that the Vine yielding the 

* Companion to the British Almanac for 1830. 



Xll 



PREFACE. 



most valuable Muscatel raisin will succeed there ; 
and should this prove to be the case, it will, un- 
doubtedly make the fortunes of those who first 
engage in it. But it is also worthy of a trial 
elsewhere; and even should this variety prove 
too delicate for any part of the Colony, the writer 
has no doubt whatever, that, of the numerous 
varieties he collected from different parts of 
France and Spain, several will be found, which, 
though not equalling it in value, will still prove 
a very desirable and even profitable article of pro- 
duce — at least till the consumption of the Colony 
itself is supplied. 

The writer was well aware how few of the 
varieties of Vines previously imported into the 
Colony agreed with the climate, and he therefore 
spared no trouble or expense in obtaining all the 
varieties of the different districts through which 
he travelled. A very considerable number of 
varieties were actually collected by himself from 
the different vineyards he visited, of the qualities 
of each of which he obtained a short notice on 
the spot. Of the other varieties, amounting to 
upwards of 500, which he obtained from the 
Botanic Garden of Montpelier, and the Royal 
Nursery of the Luxembourg at Paris, it is pro- 



PREFACE. 



Xlll 



bable that some will prove different from others 
in little more than the name, and that some may 
be of little or no value ; but knowing the changes 
produced by change of climate in the Vine, he 
thought it possible that some of those which were 
reckoned of least value where they were, might 
yield the most valuable products in the Colony, 
and he therefore thought none of them beneath 
his notice. 

In conclusion, the writer begs to add, that, 
throughout his journey, his attention was almost 
exclusively directed to Agricultural subjects ; and 
that, in revising his Journal for publication, he 
has omitted every part of it which did not directly 
bear upon these subjects. His object w^as to col- 
lect as great a mass of useful information as possi- 
ble, and he did not, therefore, cease to register 
his observations, even where they might appear 
minute and superfluous. It is only from an 
extensive collection of facts that sound conclu- 
sions can be deduced. Those collected here, will, 
as the writer hopes, convince the Colonists of 
New South Wales, that when once they have 
obtained grapes suitable to their climate, and have 
fixed upon a proper soil, it will require neither 
great study, nor toil, nor expense, to enable them 

b 



xiv 



PREFACE. 



to make a good wine ; and that, by a little atten- 
tion to a few simple principles, they may easily 
improve upon the practice of most old wine 
countries, where error has become a habit, and 
a blind routine has been sanctioned, or rather 
consecrated, by prescription. 



TABLES 

OF SPANISH WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND MONEYS. 



WEIGHTS. 

4 Arrobas 1 Quintal. 

1 Quintal 102^ lbs. English. 



MEASURES. 

6 Arrobas Mayores 25 Galls. English Old Measure. 

1 Butt of Wine contains 30 Arrobas Mayores. 

12 Arrobas Menores 39 Galls. English Old Measure. 

1 Pipe ol' Oil contains 34 Arrobas Menores. 

25 Arrobas Mayores 32 Arrobas Menores. 

5 Fanegas I Quarter English. 

27 Varas of CasLile 25 Yards English. 

Aranzada 1 Acre English. 



MONEYS. 

Piastre, a Hard Dollar, at 

Exch. of 38d. per Peso, 

or Dollar of Exch About 50^d. 

20 Reals Vellon 1 Hard Dollar. 

10| Reals Plate 1 Hard Dollar 



JOURNAL, &c. 



Monday^ ^6th September, 1831. — Having embarked 
at London on the 6th of the present month, I this day 
landed at Cadiz. I had here the good fortune to 
meet with Dr. Wilson, an English gentleman, to whom 
T had brought a letter of introduction ; and as he was 
about to return to the house of his brother, an extensive 
wine merchant of Xeres de la Frontera, I accepted his 
invitation to accompany him to that place, on Wednesday 
next. 

^^th September. — At three o'clock this day, I accord- 
ingly joined Dr. Wilson in hiring a passage-boat to 
cross the Bay of Cadiz, in order to avoid the delay of 
the common ferry-boat. Port St. Mary's, the town at 
which we disembarked, is chiefly occupied by persons 
engaged in the wine trade, and from this place the Sherry 
wines are shipped. It took an hour and half to cross 
the bay, and another half hour to engage a calesa, and 
forward our baggage ; after which, we proceeded on our 
journey. For four or five miles out of Port St. Mary's, 
the country consists of a coarse barren sandstone, 

B 



2 



XERES DE LA FRONTERA. 



partially covered with gravel, excepting on the banks of 
the river, which have the appearance of great fertility. 
We stopped at a venta or public-house, to obtain a 
glass of the wine called Manzinilla, the vin du pays of 
the district, which Dr. Wilson assures me is preferred 
to all other wines by people of all ranks in the country ; 
it is not known in the cellars of the Enghsh merchants, 
but is a light pleasant beverage, having at the same time 
a mellowness and flavour, which I have no doubt would, 
after a httle habit, procure for it the preference even 
of those who would find it insipid at the first trial. 

The twilight was far advanced as we entered the wine 
district — at one place we could distinguish a man with a 
musket, who had been posted to watch the grapes, it 
being now the very middle of the vintage. At half-past 
seven, we entered the town of Xeres, which is reckoned 
one of the richest, if not the very richest in Spain, in 
proportion to its population, and which owes its wealth 
entirely to the valuable wines produced in its vicinity. 

Friday^ SOth September. — A violent storm of wind 
and rain made it impossible to quit the house yesterday, 
and though the rain continued to fall at intervals to-day, 
I managed to visit, in company with Dr. Wilson, the 
cellars of the house of James Gordon and Company. 
The extent of these cellars is quite immense — the 
extreme length of the largest being 110 Spanish varas, 
about S06 English feet, and the breadth 2^2 feet ; the 
roof is supported by rows of massive square columns of 
mason work, and although the whole cellar is not of the 
above length or breadth, the principal division of the 
building being only SOO by 150 feet, yet, with its various 
adjuncts, the whole extent of the cellar is equal to the 
dimensions first stated. Messrs. Gordon and Company 



SHERRY WINES. 



3 



have also another very extensive cellar, though not equal 
to this in dimensions. Their ordinary stock of wine is 
said to be 4000 butts : this is kept in casks of various 
sizes, containing from one to four butts. These casks 
are ranged in regular rows ; in some parts of the cellar, 
to the height of four tiers. They are called soleras, and 
are always retained in the cellars. They contain wines 
of various qualities and ages — from one to fifty years. 
The wine merchants of Xeres never exhaust their stock 
of finest and oldest wine. According to the price at 
which the wine expedited to the market is intended to 
be sold, it contains a larger or smaller proportion of old 
wine. But it is only in wines of a very high price, that 
even a small portion of their finest wines is mixed. 
What is withdrawn from the oldest and finest casks, is 
made up from the casks which approach them nearest in 
age and quality, and these are again replenished from 
the next in age and quality to them. Thus a cask of 
wine, said to be fifty years old, may contain a portion of 
the vintages of thirty or forty seasons. 

The more respectable of the wine merchants of Xeres 
never ship wine for England till it has attained the age 
of two years ; that is, till the bulk of the wine has 
attained that age. But according to the price it is pro- 
posed to bring, it contains a larger or smaller mixture of 
a more or less expensive wine. The higher qualities of 
sherry are made up of wine the bulk of which is from 
three to five years old, and this is also mixed in various 
proportions with older wines. Thus, from the gradual 
mixture of wines of various ages, no wine can be farther 
from what may be called a natural wine than sherry. 
But, besides giving the wines, as they are prepared for 
the market, mellowness and richness, by the addition of 

b2 



4 SHERRY WINES. 

older wines, there is a very dry kind of sherry called 
Amontillado or Montillado, which abounds in the peculiar 
nutty flavour that distinguishes sherries, and which is 
frequently added when that is deficient. Being very 
light in colour, it is also used to reduce the colour of 
sherries which are too high ; and when, on the other 
hand, colour is required, the deficiency is made good by 
the mixture of boiled wine, or rather of boiled must. 

The lowest priced sherries are in general the growth 
of Port St. Mary's or San Lucar, two districts within ten 
miles of Xeres ; or they are brought round from Malaga 
to Port St. Mary's, and thence transhipped for England 
under the name of sherry, perhaps after having been 
landed and mixed with other wines to give them the 
qualities in which they are deficient. All these low- 
priced wines are largely mixed with brandy, being 
intended for the consumption of a class of people who 
are unable to judge of any quality in wine but its 
strength. But brandy is added in very small proportions 
to the good wines — never in greater quantities than four 
or five per cent, while they remain in the cellar, and 
frequently not at all, unless the wine should become 
scuddy or mothery ; and thus the finest wines are fre- 
quently entirely free from it ; but, on their shipment, a 
small dose of brandy is considered absolutely necessary, 
even to fine wines, to make them bear the voyage, as it 
is said ; but, in reality, because strength is one of the 
first qualities looked for by the consumers. When wines 
become mothery in the London Docks, they send them 
back to be cured, and this curing consists of nothing 
more than an addition of brandy : perhaps, indeed, it is 
chiefly effected by the motion of the voyage. The soleras, 
or store- casks, in which the wine is kept, are left with a 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 5 

void of 1-1 5th of their contents, and the access of the 
air is admitted through a loose wooden bung, which 
merely covers without closing the aperture. 

The exporters purchase the wine from the growers 
generally when it is one year old. The cellars through- 
out Xeres are very numerous, and are the most ex- 
tensive buildings in the town. The wine constitutes the 
chief wealth of the inhabitants. 

Saturday, 1st October. — The weather being more 
settled, about mid-day I rode out in company with Dr. 
Wilson, taking the road to Madrid, in a northerly direc- 
tion from Xeres. The road immediately after quitting 
the town was execrable, as well as the streets themselves ; 
but after passing the limits of the town's administration, 
and coming on to the road supported by the Government, 
it was much better. The ground we first passed is a sandy 
loam on both sides, and near the town it was cultivated 
with great care for vegetables, every farm having its noria, 
or water-wheel, to irrigate the grounds. We saw them 
planting garlic in small square divisions. The plants 
were placed on a bank which formed the square, about 
three inches above the surface. The squares were sepa- 
rated by channels for conveying the water, an interval 
being left at one of the corners of each square to admit 
the water to the interior, which was five or six feet in 
diameter. Some of the squares had also rows of plants 
on similar situations within them. In this, or a similar 
manner, all their vegetables are irrigated; and no one 
would think of laying out a garden unless on a spot where 
it could be continually irrigated. About a mile from the 
town we struck off into a plantation of olives : few of the 
trees, however, contained any considerable quantity, and 
some were altogether without fruit. Such oHves as we 



6 



OLIVES. 



pulled were universally rotten. I was afterwards told, 
by Mr. Gordon, that all olives are rotten this year, and 
that this is invariably the case every second year. A 
little further, we saw a new plantation on the opposite 
side of the road, and luckily found a peasant under a 
miserable shed of leaves and straw. To our questions 
respecting the olives, he informed us that the plants bear 
a little fruit even the first year : but in the second and 
third years they bear a considerable crop, in proportion 
to their size. Some of what we saw had been eighteen 
months planted, some only six months. The former ap- 
peared healthy young trees, covered with a considerable 
quantity of foliage : the latter had only a few slender 
shoots, and some of them indeed stood in their original 
nakedness. These olive plants were nothing else but 
large limbs of old trees, from eight to ten feet in length, 
and from two to three inches in diameter. They are 
sunk about four or five feet into the ground ; and the 
part of the plant above ground is covered, during the 
first summer, with a cone of earth or clay, to the height 
of from two to three feet. After leaving this young plan- 
tation we struck off to the left, and made for the nearest 
vineyard across the fields. In consequence of the very 
heavy rains during the two preceding days, most of the 
vineyards were deserted ; the people in this part of the 
country almost universally living in the towns. We found 
no person in the cellar of the first vineyard we entered ; 
but in the next there were two idle peasants lounging 
about the door of the cellar. Giving our horses to the 
younger, we entered into conversation with the elder 
vinador. The extent of the vineyard, he said, was 40 
aranzadas — about 38^- English acres. He said they 
usually made from 66 to 68 butts of wine ; but this year 



ENVIRONS OF XEKES. 



7 



they had only made 55, when the rains commenced, and 
he doubted now whether they would make any more. 
Sixty-seven butts, from 38J- acres, is equal to gallons, 
old measure^ per English acre. The soil was of the de- 
scription called albariza, which produces the finest wines. 
The vinador stated, that in replanting a part of the vine- 
yard, they had dug it to the depth of a vara, or Spanish 
yard — about 3S^ English inches ; but on proceeding to 
the spot where they had been trenching, and stepping 
into the trench, I found the surface only came to my 
knee. From twelve inches below the surface the soil was 
quite compact, but appeared to differ frgm the surface 
soil only in not having been exposed to the atmosphere. 
According to Roocas Clementi, a Spanish writer upon the 
Vines of Andalusia, the albariza soils contain generally 
about 70 per cent, of carbonate of lime, the remainder of 
the compound being chiefly alumina, with a very small 
portion of silica, and occasionally a little magnesia; but 
in some places it is almost pure carbonate of lime. This 
soil absorbs every drop of moisture which falls upon it, 
and never cracks or opens in the greatest heats of summer. 
I paced over the piece of ground which had been trenched, 
and found it 45 by 16 paces — about 24 perches. This, 
he said, had occupied ten men for four days. 

The distance of the plants in this vineyard was about 
five feet each way. Some of the vines were very old, 
and appeared to be in very bad condition. The vinador 
said they were renewing them gradually, and thus the 
vineyard was not all in full bearing. Some plants, which 
were only six years old, appeared extremely vigorous ; 
and as the grapes had not been gathered from a part of 
them, we counted the bunches on a considerable number, 
and found them to average eight or nine ; and from our 



8 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



own estimate and that of the vinador, the whole weight of 
the fruit might be from 14 to 16 lbs. on each. All the new 
varieties, he said, \vere of the variety called Uva de Rey. 
There was a dunghill of fresh horse-duno- collected outside 
the vineyard ; and though we were uncertain whether we 
understood each other's meaning, we supjx)sed him to say 
that they manured each plant annually. The plants had 
each from two to four mother branches, according to 
their strength, and had almost invariably been pruned 
down to one or two spurs on each. 

In the cellar there were four presses, w^hich consisted 
of nothing else than large wooden troughs, about eight 
feet square, and from twelve to fourteen inches deep. 
This is the general size ; and each will contain, at one 
time, as many grapes as will yield a butt of wine. 
A coarse wooden screw stands in the centre of the trough, 
which is worked by a lever not more than five feet long 
in all, so that each arm is only two and a half feet. In 
some of the casks which contained the juice that had been 
last pressed, we observed a vessel, like a very wide funnel, 
fixed into the bung-hole. The object of this is to return 
into the cask ail the froth and wane which is thrown up 
in the fermentation ; for, in this part of Spain, all the 
wine is fermented in butts, with only the bung-hole open. 
By this means all the yeast, which the French are so 
anxious to get rid of, is returned upon the wine — to feed 
it, as they say. The consequence, of course, is a renewal 
of the fermentation whenever there is a change of wea- 
ther, or the cask is put in motion. The wine continues 
in the butt in which it is fermented till March, when it 
is racked off the lees. This is the almost universal prac- 
tice of the country. 

In the course of our ride we passed a flock of sheep. 



SHEEP AND CATTLE OF ANDALUSIA. 9 

about 250 in number: the majority were black and short 
woolled. The wool is worked up into common cloth of 
its original colour. It is worth 3 reals vellon — about 
l\d. per lb. The white sheep were of a totally different 
breed, with long white fleeces, more resembling hair than 
wool. We also saw two men on horseback, and several 
on foot, with a herd of cattle. The horsemen were the 
proprietors, who had been mustering. There were 
about 300 in the herd, chiefly young, and all dry. The 
cows had little appearance of milk, and the breed was 
altogether very bad. This, as I was given to under- 
stand, was a fair sample of the sheep and cattle of the 
province. It is not lawful to enclose corn fields, nor 
indeed are any enclosures lawful, except for vine3^ards or 
gardens. As soon as the grain is off* the fields they are 
common property, and every one who chooses is entitled 
to send cattle or sheep upon them: — a law which, 
perhaps more than any other, strikes at the root of 
agricultural prosperity, and keeps the agriculture of 
Andalusia in its present barbarous condition. 

Mondai/, Srd October. — Mr. James Gordon having 
invited Dr. Wilson and myself to visit a vineyard be- 
longing to him about four miles from Xeres, we accord- 
ingly started at about one o'clock ; Mr. Gordon riding 
a black 5ar5, or jennet, which he valued at d^^lOO, and 
which he said had cost him £70, We passed out of the 
town by this direction, as well as by every other, through 
hills of dung, which had been allowed to accumulate, 
and appeared to be considered as not worth taking far- 
ther. The road lay between immense hedges of the 
cactus or prickly pear, and aloe, planted on the top of 
high banks, and making a fence which would prove a 
considerable impediment to the march of an army. Mr. 

b3 



10 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



Gordon pointed out a hedge of prickly pears, two years 
old ; and which, even though it had been on the level 
ground, would already prove a very tolerable fence. 
He is of opinion that the original plants, if properly 
looked after, will form a fence for forty years ; and if 
renewed with occasional fresh plants, would last for ever. 

The aloe is also much used for fencing, but is con- 
sidered by Mr. Gordon as very inferior to the prickly 
pear, as it dies off whenever it has flowered. There is a 
prejudice that this plant flowers only once in a hundred 
years, and it is thence called the centennial aloe. The 
truth is, that though it is often many years in flowering, 
when it has once flowered it dies off" for ever. If there 
is any part of the rural economy of the Andalusians 
which the settler of New South Wales could adopt with 
advantage, it is the hedge of prickly pears. It is not 
possible to imagine a more efi^ectual fence, nor one which 
it would take less trouble to plant or keep in order. It 
is only necessary to place, at certain distances along the 
proposed line, a leaf or part of a leaf of the plant. In 
nineteen cases out of twenty they will take root without 
any further trouble ; and in two years, or three at the 
farthest, there will be a more effectual fence than a four- 
railed one. The only objection to this kind of fence is 
the room it occupies after a few years* growth, if not 
pruned down ; but, in New South Wales, we are not yet 
so much pressed for room as to make this an objection. 
To those who may feel inclined to adopt this recom- 
mendation it may be a useful hint. Though I was told it 
was scarcely possible to keep the prickly pears from 
growing, even by cutting the leaves into small pieces 
and throwing them on a dry spot, still it would be 
worth the trouble to place each leaf, or part of a leaf, in 



FENCES OF THE PRICKLY PEAR. 



11 



a spadeful of manure, both to insure its striking and its 
more vigorous gowth. 

The road to Don Jacobo's vineyard passed at first 
through banks of albariza, but we presently came to the 
arenas^ or sandy soils, which adjoin the Common of 
Xeres. Don Jacobo's vineyard was in this soil. His 
people had just re-commenced the vintage after the rain, 
and were now assembled to dinner ; which consisted of a 
kind of cold soup made from water, with oil, vinegar, 
salt, and pepper, and salads scraped down or cut small. 
The more substantial part of the meal was bread, prickly 
pears, sweet pepper, and grapes. 

I here tasted some of the boiled must which is used 
for colouring the wine. It was literally the quintessence 
of the must, having been boiled down to a fifth part of its 
original bulk. It was as thick as treacle and resembled 
it in flavour, but with a strong burned taste. 

Don Jacobo Gordon's vineyard yielded him, when in 
a good state, from ^\ to 4 butts of wine per acre. At 
present it is in a course of renewal, having been ruined 
by the spread of a kind of grass, which sends its roots 
to the depth of four feet. A certain portion, which had 
been planted within the last five years, appeared to be 
in a good state of bearing ; another part was only two 
years old. The young vines were all very healthy, and 
had been cut down to two or three mother branches, with 
one knot on each. In forming the young vines, as well 
as in pruning them afterwards, great care is taken to have 
the branches in such a direction that they will balance 
each other upon the stock, the latter being generally from 
12 to 18 inches from the ground before the branches 
spring out. The object of this care is, of course, to 
support the bunches from the ground without the aid of 



12 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 

props or stakes. It cost £56 an acre to renew the plan- 
tation of this vineyard, it being necessary to trench it to 
the depth of four feet, in order to get out the grass. The 
soil, as turned up, even from that depth, was extremely 
sandy. The plants here, as elsewhere throughout the 
district, were at the distance of five feet from each other 
in both directions. The varieties which had been planted 
were the Pedro Xirnenes and Uva de Rey^ white, and the 
Tintilla^ black. Black grapes are, however, very rarely 
cultivated here. The different varieties were planted in 
distinct divisions. I observed that some of the old vines 
which it was intended to eradicate this season, were 
loaded with grapes, having been pruned to carry as many 
as possible. This is what the French called charge a 
mort, and the practice here was known by a name of 
similar import. The vines are regularly manured with 
any kind of dung, — in general strong stable dung; not 
every year, because, said Mr. Gordon's chief vinador, who 
accompanied us, they could not procure it. He would 
dung them every year if he had the means, and did not 
seem to consider that the quality of the wine would be 
affected by it. But this vineyard, as well as all others 
on the same kind of soil, only produced inferior wines. 

The olive having been mentioned, we were shown two 
olives which supported a wheel for drawing water from 
the well. Two posts having been required for this pur- 
pose when they were clearing the ground of some olive 
trees three years ago, they took two of the trunks of 
these, which were respectively 10 or 12 inches in dia- 
meter : they nevertheless took root, and are now covered 
with strong branches, affording a proof of the great faci- 
lity with which the olive takes root. The vinador said 
that an oHve would produce a crop three years after its 



VINE YAH DS. 



plantation, but not a full crop till its fifth year, and it 
would reach its greatest perfection in its tenth year. He 
said a plant ought to be the limb of a tree of the thick- 
ness of a man's arm. Being asked how long it would 
take before a slip, such as we plant in New South Wales, 
would bear a crop, he appeared to consider the proposal 
as ridiculous, and said he thought twenty years. He did 
not consider the oil of young olives inferior to that of the 
old : the only difference in their value arises from the 
quantity. The olive is not now cultivated in this district 
to the same extent as formerly, the superior attention 
bestowed upon it in the neighbourhood of Seville having 
made the slovenly cultivation pursued here unprofitable. 
The trees are planted with considerable regularity, at the 
distance of 36 or 40 feet. An average crop, Don Jacobo 
says, " is from If to 1^ arrobas,'''' that is, from 5 to 6 
English gallons, each tree. 

In passing through this vineyard I observed a very 
considerable variety of grapes, differing not only in ap- 
pearance but taste; but many of those which were evi- 
dently distinct were said by the vinador to be the same. 
He would not admit that there were more than four or 
five kinds. I should have judged the number to be not 
fewer than twenty ; and Mr. Cormack, a member of Mr. 
Wilson's house, afterwards informed me that there was 
at least that number of varieties in all the vineyards 
round Xeres, and he thought this was one cause of the 
excellence of the wine. On our way back to town I 
examined one of the norias which supplies Xeres with 
water. The well was about 40 feet in depth, and 7 in 
diameter. The machinery by which the water is raised 
is of the rudest construction. An horizontal wheel with 
large teeth turns a vertical one of about five feet in 



14 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



diameter ; over this wheel passes a flat band, made of a 
kind of grass, to which earthen pots are attached over 
its whole extent. The pots go down empty at one side 
and come up full at the other. The water is thus raised 
to a cistern of sufficient elevation to send the water to the 
town, about a mile off*. It struck me that any settler 
of New South Wales could construct such a piece of 
machinery with his own men, and even without the aid of 
a mechanic. 

Tuesday, Ath of October. — About 10 this morning, in 
company with my indefatigable friend Dr. Wilson, I 
started to visit the vineyard of Don Pedi'o Domecq, 
celebrated, under the name of Machar Nudo, for pro- 
ducing first-rate sherry wines. After quitting the im- 
mediate vicinity of the town, we passed over open downs 
which bore the appearance of having been under crop, 
but without a single enclosure or land mark so far as we 
could observe. The downs were skirted on the left by 
the chalky hills {alharizas), covered with the vine, and 
carefully enclosed by hedges of the prickly pear and aloe, 
planted as usual on the tops of high banks. We passed 
three ploughs at work, following on the same furrow. 
The plough is of the rudest construction, exactly similar 
to what are represented in those plates which exhibit 
the first invented implements of agriculture. There is 
no mould-board, and the plough consequently makes only 
a series of drills, without turning a single furrow. It 
has only one handle, and is sometimes held in the right 
and sometimes ^n the left hand, the mules with which 
they generally plough being guided and driven with the 
other hand. As usual, when riding among vineyards, we 
entered the albarizas through a road between steep 
banks and hedges — the bottom of the road being in 



SHERRY VINEYARDS. 



15 



general the compact stratum of chalk. Don Pedro's 
vineyard lies in a north-easterly direction from Xeres, 
and consists entirely of chalky hills. It was evident, on 
entering the enclosure, that the vines were treated with 
much greater care than any we had examined. The 
mother branches were better balanced and supported 
from the ground, and were regularly pruned ; and not a 
weed or a blade of grass was to be seen among them. The 
immediate vicinity of the house was tastefully planted 
with a profusion of ornamental trees, within which was 
an extensive paved court, surrounded by a wall and 
railing ; the cellars were on a much larger scale than in 
any of the vineyards we had before seen or passed ; the 
house neither large nor convenient, and in a great degree 
spoiled by some of the rooms being made the passages to 
a high tower which he has built to have a view of all 
parts of the vineyard, and which has been carried to a 
great height in order to command a prospect of Cadiz, on 
the south-west, and Seville to the north. "A certain 
man planted a vineyard, and hedged it round, and having 
digged a wine press, and hidlt a tower, he let it out to 
husbandmen." Every vineyard, of any considerable ex- 
tent here, has also its tower, but, in general, they are less 
than half the height of that of Machar Nudo. Mr. 
Domecq is a gentleman of French extraction, and speaks 
English fluently. We found him under the verandah of 
his wine cellar, and having mentioned the object of our 
visit, he undertook, with great readiness, to give us all 
the information we should ask : he answered my ques- 
tions and explained his proceedings in the manner of a 
man who was thoroughly acquainted with his subject, 
and had not been accustomed to follow blindly the prac- 
tices he had found established. He said he was gradually 



16 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



renewing his vineyards, the vines having been destroyed 
in many places by a very destructive insect— a small 
white worm, with a black head, which eats into the heart 
of the old stock and destroys it : vines, he said, which 
would have been good for 150 years, were thus rendered 
useless — they were now 40 years old : he attributed it to 
injudicious pruning. It was customary to cut off the 
bearing branch close to the old wood ; by this means the 
worm either obtained an entrance to the heart of the stock 
full grown, or was deposited in the egg, on the decayed 
part, and worked its way in when formed. A footing once 
obtained, there was no mode of getting rid of it, and the 
consequence was that the vines became every year more 
injured in health, till they were at length incapable of 
yielding a crop. The system which Don Pedro adopted 
in pruning was to leave one knot of the branch cut 
off, which prevented the entrance of the insect into the 
stock. 

His mode of pruning differed from what we had pre- 
viously observed : instead of leaving only one, or at most 
two knots on each of three or four branches, as was the 
case in the other vineyards we had examined, he left one 
branch with seven or eight knots, and two others with 
one knot each, pruning them down alternately ; he did 
not consider that this was burthcning a young and healthy 
vine too much ; he was in the habit of manuring his vine- 
yards, but not each year in the same place. He consi- 
dered it a disadvantage to have many varieties, and was 
confining his new plantations to three or four. He said 
that all the varieties mentioned by Roxas Clemente were 
to be found in the vineyards of Xeres, but the proprietors 
were all anxious to make it be believed that their vine- 
yards contained only the most celebrated sorts. Don Pedro 



SHERRY WINES. 



17 



Domecq's vineyard contains about 200 acres, and yields 
from 600 to 800 butts of wine, according to the season. 
This year a large proportion of the grapes in his vine- 
yard, as well as in other vineyards throughout the coun- 
try, had rotted in consequence of the season having been 
unusually wet. He said that in future years he should 
take care to prevent this result, by unleaving the vines, 
and allowing the rays of the sun to reach the grapes. He 
trenched the ground to the depth of a vara (33 inches) ; 
he said he did not consider it advantageous to go very 
deep, it allowed the roots to penetrate too far from the 
heat of the air ; he did not approve of the practice usual 
in the country of leaving holes about the foot of the 
vines, for the purpose of collecting the moisture to the 
roots ; he preferred having it all well dug over ; this was 
done three or even four times a-year, and when first 
dressed in the winter after the pruning, it is turned up to 
the depth of 14 or 15 inches. 

On entering his cellar, or rather pressing-room, we 
found the labourers at their dinner. Bread seemed here, 
as elsewhere, the chief article of their diet. There was 
also abundance of prickly pears and grapes. AVe passed 
to the cellar where the new-made wine was stowed, and 
tasted it in its various states. The wine of a fortnight old 
was still very sweet, although the fermentation was now 
barely sensible. We also tasted the sweet wine of the 
same age, made from the Fedro Ximenes grape, and we 
conceived it to be barely possible for any thing to be more 
luscious, although we were informed that in a dry season 
it is much richer. He said he had about 200 butts of 
the sweet wine, and wished it were all of that quality, it 
was so useful in mixing with his purchased wine for ex- 
portation. We observed some casks marked podrida^ as 



18 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



being made from rotten grapes, and asked if there was 
not great danger of that wine turning out ill. He rephed 
yes, by the ordinary management of the country, but he 
had adopted a different system of treatment. He said, 
that instead of putting a funnel into the bunghole of the 
cask to prevent the scum from escaping, no sooner was 
the violence of the fermentation over than he filled up the 
cask, in order that it might work over and escape. He 
also racked off his wine into clean casks at the end of two 
months, or even a shorter period, instead of allowing it to 
remain in the cask in which it was fermented till March 
or April, as was the general custom. He says that brandy 
is added to the sherry wines, chiefly on account of the 
taste of the English, who are its principal consumers ; 
but it is also useful in preventing scuddiness, and curing 
it when it has taken place. Don Pedro perfectly agreed 
in an opinion which I offered, that if wines were made 
with sound grapes only, and more perfectly fermented, 
this scuddiness would never occur. I represented to him 
the advantage of large vats for fermenting the wine. He 
acknowledged the probability of a more perfect fermen- 
tation taking place in large vats, and of the wine being 
the earlier ready for the market in consequence ; but ob- 
jected, that where there were 700 or 800 butts to make, 
it would require so great a number of vats, that it would 
not be practicable. I explained to him that the fermen- 
tation would be so much sooner over in consequence of its 
violence, that the wine might be in general drawn off into 
casks after five or six days, and thus the same vats might 
be used many times ; for in consequence of the care that 
is observed in the vineyards which yield sherry, to have 
all the grapes thoroughly ripe, the vintage will frequently 
continue for six weeks, commencing about the middle of 



SHERRY WINE MAKING. 



19 



September, and seldom being completed till the end of 
October. In the vine3^ards yielding the common wines 
this is not the case ; when the majority of the grapes are 
ripe, they gather the whole, and their vintage is over in 
8 or 10 days. My observation, as to the shortness of the 
time it would be requisite to keep the wine in the vats, 
appeared to get over his difficulty ; and from what he 
said, I think it likely that he will not allow another vin- 
tage to pass without giving them a trial. He said he was 
sensible of the advantage of sulphuring wine, but that it 
was difficult to prevent the taste from remaining : and 
that it sometimes happened that the English merchant 
would not be persuaded that there was no taste of 
sulphur, even when none had been used. He had got 
M'Culloch's book, and was aware of the qualities of the 
sulphate of potash, which that writer so strongly recom- 
mends. On returning from the cellar to the pressing-room 
we found the presses at work. There were eight troughs, 
similar in shape and dimensions to those formerly de- 
scribed, each with its wooden screw in the centre. A 
large quantity of grapes being heaped up in one part of 
the trough, they commence by strewing upon them as 
much powdered gypsum, or sulphate of lime, as a man 
can take up with both hands. A portion of the grapes 
are then spread over the bottom of the remainder of the 
trough, upon which the men jump with great violence, 
having wooden shoes, with nails to prevent their slip- 
ping. After the greater part of the grapes are pretty 
well broken, they are piled up round the screw, and a flat 
band, made of a kind of grass, is wound round the pile, 
commencing at the bottom, the broken grapes being 
heaped and pressed in as the band is wrapped higher and 
higher, till they are all compressed into it. They then 



^0 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



commence working the screw, and the must flows with 
great rapidity. The bottom of the troughs are elevated 
about 2i- feet above the floor of the cellar, and each has 
two spouts, under which tubs are placed, and jars in the 
tubs; and as the jars are tilled, they are carried away and 
emptied into the butts. When the whole operation is 
completed, the bulk of the husks or skins is not more than 
one-sixth or one-seventh of what the grapes appeared 
when first placed in the troughs. This is almost the 
universal practice of the country ; but some persons pour 
a jar of water over the grapes at the same time that they 
strew the gypsum upon them. And it is usual to add 
water to the skins and husks, and then to tread and press 
them again. This yields an inferior wine, but is gene- 
rally added in the state of must to the produce of the first 
pressing. It has been observed, that in very dry seasons, 
the agua pies, as this is called, is almost equal to \.\\eyemaSj 
or first running. Don Pedro^s cellar contained eight of 
these presses, all of which were at work ; but he was 
erecting a press upon scientific principles, the plan of 
which he had procured from France. I did not wait to 
examine its construction. The vintagers brought in the 
grapes as they gathered them, in buckets or pails, which 
they carried upon their shoulders. I was astonished to 
observe that so little attention was paid to the quality of 
the grapes put into the press. I had previously observed 
in every mule or ass load, which I had seen conveying 
grapes from the vineyard towards the town, that a large 
proportion was, decayed, but I thought it probable that 
some selection would be made before pressing. Here, 
however, I observed that three- fourths of the grapes had 
burst in consequence of the rain ; and, perhaps, from one- 
third to one-half appeared to be far advanced towards 



NORIAS, OR WATER WHEELS. 21 

putref action i but the inust that ran from them was never- 
theless perfectly sweet. Observing so httle selection in a 
vineyard where more care was taken than in any other 
we had seen, and some science really indicated by the 
proprietor, I concluded that nothing was more common 
than for the grapes to be in a state of decay when the 
wine was made. It was evident that if baskets had been 
employed in which to gather the grapes, a great propor- 
tion of the j uice would have been lost ; but there was an 
immense waste of labour in each vintager bringing what 
he had gathered the whole way to the cellar. If Don 
Pedro had left roads for a cart, or even paths for a mule 
through his vineyard, he might have brought his grapes 
to the press with half the manual labour he now employs. 
Having an engagement to dine with Don Jacobo Gordon 
at 3 o'clock, we quitted Don Pedro Domecq's vineyard 
sooner than I would have wished to part with its intel- 
ligent proprietor. He is the largest holder of wine in 
Xeres, and exports more than any other merchant. 

Wednesday, 5th October. — At seven this morning I 
took leave of my hospitable and very attentive friends at 
Xeres de la Frontera ; Doctor Wilson having engaged, 
at the proper season, to procure and send me to London 
cuttings of all the varieties of vines cultivated in that 
neighbourhood. I had engaged a calesa — a wretched 
sort of gig, to convey me to San Lucar, there to join the 
steam-boat for Seville, this being considered my best route 
to Malaga, whither I now proposed to make the best of 
my way. We had only proceeded three or four miles, 
when one of the wheels became loosened, and the Calesera 
had no means of repairing the damage, there was nothing 
therefore for it but to return. Accompanied by Dr. Wil- 
son, I rode out in a different direction from any we had 



22 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 

previously taken, and stopped to examine more particu- 
larly one of the norias which supply Xeres with water. 
We entered a stable and ascended to the loft where the 
mules work: the ascent is without steps, to allow the mules 
to go up and down. The elevation of this loft was 10 
feet — the mules were not at work, and the driver lighted a 
piece of rope and let it down into the well to show us its 
depth ; the well is about 7 feet in diameter, and 25 varas 
(about 70 feet) to the water, which has a depth of 1 1 
feet, making the whole depth of the well about 80 feet. 

The circle round which the mule treads is 30 or 35 
feet in diameter; the horizontal wheel is 10 feet; the 
vertical wheel 8. They act upon each other by a series 
of teeth, which are merely pegs fixed to the outside of the 
wheel. The teeth projecting from the horizontal wheel 
were 10 inches; those from the vertical wheel 8 inches 
in length. The horizontal wheel is turned by a lever at- 
tached to the top of the beam, about 10 or 11 feet in 
height, and falling at an angle to the height of the 
shoulders of the mule. The circular bands, to which are 
attached the earthen jars, are made of a kind of grass 
which is in general use for that purpose. The jars are 
separate about six or seven inches, and are very deep in 
proportion to their width ; they are fixed between the 
two bands, by cords passing round the middle (where 
their girth is least), and near the top; the whole length 
of the circular bands is of course twice the depth of the 
well ; the number of the pots is 37, and they are about 
four feet apart. , When the wheel is set in motion, they 
descend empty on one side, and passing through the 
water, rise nearly full on the other side of the well ; there 
are small holes in the bottom of the jars to allow the air 
to escape when they enter the water, there is consequently 



VINEYARDS. 



23 



a constant leakage from jar to jar as they ascend. Each 
of the jars delivers from four to five English pints at each 
revolution of the wheel (of ropes). The trough, into 
which they are emptied as the wheel turns, is on a level 
with its centre. When there is a greater demand for 
water in the very dry season, they double the number of 
pots, putting one between each of those now in use, and 
yoking a second mule. They thus double the quantity of 
water delivered in the same time. The water is con- 
veyed to the town in earthen pipes, and sold from the 
cistern to which it flows, the 7i07'ias being all private 
property. 

Having finished our examination of the noria^ we pro- 
ceeded to the adjoining vineyard, where half a dozen men 
were employed in gathering the grapes ; this vineyard is 
situated in what are called the arenas (sands) : the soil 
is a light sandy loam, and though surrounded by hills of 
chalk, did not appear on trial to contain the smallest por- 
tion of calcareous matter. 

The soil seemed capable of supporting a more vigorous 
vegetation than at any place we had visited, and the vines 
were pruned accordingly. On each vine there was at 
least one long branch, containing from eight to ten knots, 
and from two to four spurs, with one or two knots each. 
On some vines there were two branches, one containing 
eight or ten knots, the other four or five, beside three 
or four spurs, with one or two knots each. On one 
or two vines, which seemed very heavily charged, I 
counted twelve knots on one branch, and seven spurs ; 
the crop was in proportion, many of the vines producing 
twenty bunches and upwards. The average weight of 
fruit on each vine could not be less than from 25 to SOlbs. 
The vinador said, the extent of the vineyard was ten 
aranzadas — ^(9 acres, 2 roods, 10 perches); the produce 



24 



ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



varied according to the season, from forty to fifty butts ; 
forty-five butts is about six hundred gallons, old measure, 
for each English acre. The other vineyards in the arenas 
seemed to be pruned in the same manner, and to be fully 
as heavily charged with fruit. The vinador said the 
wine was of very good quality. The grapes were chiefly 
the variety called Uva el Rey — but there were also a very 
few of Pedro Ximenes, and one or two other varieties. 
The vines in this vineyard appeared to be in the highest 
state of health, and had evidently been treated with the 
greatest care from the commencement. They were now 
25 years of age, — the branches were so well arranged that 
they balanced each other upon the stock ; and few props 
were therefore required, the height of the stock being 
. from 16 to 20 inches. Where from the weight of fruit 
a prop was required, it consisted of a piece of cane, with 
a fork cut in the end of it, and in this fork the branch 
rested. A small spot in the vineyard had been newly 
planted ; he said the ground had been trenched to the 
depth of a vara, or a vara and a quarter. These vines 
were only manured once in four or five years ; the rea- 
son of this, he said, was that the ground was not so cold 
as the albarizas, and did not require it oftener. 

As the grapes were collected they were spread out on 
large mats in the sun's rays. This is very commonly the 
practice in ordinary seasons : but owing to the late heavy 
rains coming upon the grapes when the most of them 
were fully ripe, they are in general hastening on the 
vintage this seaspn without attending to it. The vinador 
said they would be put in the press to-night and pressed 
next morning. 

Mr. Cormack says, that this vineyard produces only 
the common wine of the country, and from the way it 
was cultivated he was sure it must yield 6 or 7 butts an 



VALUE OF VINEYARDS. 



25 



acre, but he understood that a large portion of the grapes 
were sent to the market. The at^enas, in general, he 
says, yield from 4 to 6 butts a Spanish acre, which is 
worth, on being made, about 22 pesos of 15 rials each. 
Thus, 5 butts will amount to 82i Spanish dollars, which 
is equal to about £17 10s. per aranzada, or £18 10s. per 
English acre. This vineyard, he informed me, was worth 
300 dollars per aranzada, or about £66 an English acre. 
The Albariza vine^^ards yield, on an average, from 2^ to 
3 butts per aranzada, which is worth, including the agiia 
pies, this year (October 1831), 38 pesos per butt, — 2^ 
butts amount therefore to £16 13s. 9d., or about £17 10s. 
per English acre. Mr. Domecq's vineyard was some 
time ago valued at 40,000 Spanish dollars. The extent 
being 191 English acres, and the buildings at that time 
worth 3,000 or 4,000 dollars, the value of the whole will 
appear to be £7,756 5s., or about £40 12s per English 
acre, the average produce being about 800 butts. — This 
at 38 pesos, will amount to £4,275 for the value of one 
year's produce of the whole, or £22 7s. per acre. The 
expenses of cultivation are stated by Mr. Cormack to be 
from 50 to 60 dollars per aranzada, and this also agrees 
pretty nearly with Mr. Domecq's statement. It therefore 
appears that the profit upon an acre of the arenas will be 
about £7 10s.; upon the ordiuar j albariza, £5 13s. 9d. ; 
on Mr. Domecq's, £11 7s. I am inclined to think that 
this estimate is pretty correct, as it applies to the arenas, 
but it is probably under-rated in the albarizas generally, 
and over-rated in Mr. Domecq's. 

The whole extent of the Xeres vineyards, which pro- 
duce wine fit for the English market, does not exceed 
7,000 acres, and about double that extent will also include 



26 



EXTENT OF THE VTNEYAUDS 



those of Port Saint Mary's and San Lucar. A great 
portion of the wines exported, to England under the name 
of Sherry, are the growth of Malaga, and are brought 
round and transhipped at Cadiz. Most of the Sherries 
sold by retail in England, under 40s. a dozen, are either 
of this kind or of the commonest qualities of the San Lucar 
and Port St. Mary's vineyards. The whole quantity of 
Sherry annually exported from Xeres, does not exceed 
25,000 butts. In no case do the exporters send a genuine 
natural wine — that is, a wine as it comes from the press 
without a mixture of other qualities. It is rather a singular 
circumstance that the sale of the produce of the common 
vineyards is more ready and certain than of that fit for 
exportation. The latter is all purchased up by a few 
individuals, and held by them till it is taken off by the 
gradual demand. The stock is equal to many years' con- 
sumption, and some of the holders are said to possess 
stocks to the amount of a million dollars. No wine is 
allowed by law to be sold for consumption till it is twelve 
months old. The produce of the arenas is much greater 
than of the albarizas, but a greater quantity of it turns 
sour. The very dry wine called Amontillado, is generally 
said to be produced in a way which no one can account 
for, as it is not possible to say beforehand whether the 
wine, when fermenting, will turn out Sherry or Amontil- 
lado. If so, it is probable it is the result of a more 
perfect fermentation ; indeed, Mr. Domecq agreed with 
me in this opinion. Rafael Torda, a Spanish writer on 
wines, says, that it is the produce of a particular grape, 
the Palomina. Although the Manzanilla and common 
wine of the country are more apt to turn sour than the 
Sherry, the latter is also occasionally subject to that 
degeneration. Mr. Domecq said, that as many as 100 



OF XERES, AND THEIR PRODUCE. 27 

butts of the Machar Nudo had turned sour in one season, 
— whether after the adoption of the plan of allowing the 
scum to escape during the fermentation, instead of return- 
ing it by the funnel upon the wine, I did not inquire. 
Perhaps it may be owing to the grapes of part of the 
vineyard being of an inferior quality, or there may be 
something in the soil or exposure which prevents their 
attaining perfection. Mr. Domecq said, that there are 
very few of the grapes which are good, even in the alba- 
riza vineyards, and that the finest sherries are produced 
from two or three varieties which are rather scarce, — of 
one variety he found great difficulty in procuring cuttings, 
there not being more than two acres of it in the district 
of Xeres. Scuddiness is, however, the most prevailing 
defect in the Sherry wines, and it is worth consideration 
whether this is not owing to imperfect fermentation. We 
tasted wine in Mr. Domecq^s cellar which was quite sweet, 
although three weeks old. The violence of the first fer- 
mentation is suppressed by the smallness of the vessel in 
which it takes place; and until the original principles of 
the must, which remain undecomposed, are separated by 
subsequent repeated rackings, or changed, after a great 
length of time, into alcohol, they are always liable to rise 
through the wine, and produce this scuddiness. It is 
probable, also, that the absorption of the tartaric acid 
which the grapes may contain, by the use of gypsum, 
may be a still further hinderance to the fermentation. On 
the whole, I think there can be no doubt that were the 
fermentation completed in large vessels, and the wine 
subsequently racked off into casks, this scuddiness would 
never appear ; and, considering, the general richness of the 
grapes of this country in saccharine matter, there would 
be as little danger of acidity if the casks were thoroughly 

c 2 



28 ENVIRONS OF SAN LUCAR. 

closed to the air when the fermentation should have 
ceased. 

Thursday^ 6th October. — This morning I again started 
in a calesa, and, after about four hours' travelUng, 
accomplished the journey to the little town of Bonanza^ 
above San Lucar, the distance being 4 leagues. The 
road was not made in any place, but there were bridges 
at spots which would be otherwise impassable. After 
about three or four miles' traveling, I quitted the vine- 
yards, which for that distance crowned the chalky hilJs 
on both sides of the valley through which the road 
passed. The country was now open, and without a 
single tree or enclosure. I passed several farm stead- 
ings, if indeed they are worthy of the name. The 
buildings were of the most wretched description, and in 
the worst possible repair, contrasting in this respect 
most strongly with the cellars and pressing-houses in 
the vineyards, all of which were in good order and well 
whitewashed. Here, however, no farmer lives upon his 
farm. At seed time he comes with a sufficient number 
of people to plough up and sow the land, and returns 
to the town till the season of harvest again calls him 
forth. The harvest is collected to a convenient spot, 
where the grain is trodden out by horses and cattle, and 
the straw is most generally burned, — and this closes the 
labours of the year. At one place I saw seven men 
ploughing, each with a pair of oxen, and following each 
other in the same furrow. The oxen were yoked by 
the head — the yokes resting immediately behind the 
horns, and being secured round the forehead of the 
animals. Near Bonanza I passed several steep hills of 
albariza, covered with vines, and terraced on the more 
precipitous sides. 



ENVIRONS OF SEVILLE. 



29 



The banks of the Guadalquivir, for ten miles above 
Bonanza, are low alluvial flats, apparently of great 
extent ; and they appeared, perhaps in consequence of 
the late heavy rains, too wet to bear the pasturage of 
cattle. From that distance the lands on both sides bore 
the marks of cultivation, and were covered with cattle 
and horses. The hills which bounded these alluvial 
flats were covered with olives. In several places they 
were gathering Indian corn and millet. — On approach- 
ing Seville there was here and there a plantation of 
oranges. The alluvial banks had very much contracted 
in extent, and, though higher than those lower down the 
river, were in no place more than four feet above the 
water ; but the river was very muddy, and was probably 
swelled in consequence of the rains. 

Friday y 7th Oct, Seville. — I find that the ordiriario, 
or carrier, with whom I was recommended to travel to 
Malaga, is not now here, and is not expected for several 
days. I am told on all hands, that it would be madness 
to attempt travelling in any other way, as the roads are 
so much infested with robbers, that every person who 
attempts to travel, unless under the protection of the 
ordinario, is sure to be stripped. The latter personage 
purchases immunity for himself and his passengers, by 
paying a sort of blackmail every journey. During the 
week which I remained at Seville, waiting for the carrier, 
I made two short excursions to the country. I had 
understood at Xeres, that the neighbourhood of Seville 
was famous for its plantations of olives, and I was 
anxious, during my stay here, to learn as much as pos- 
sible on that subject. My first expedition was to the 
ruins of an ancient Roman city, named Italica, which 
stood on the opposite side of the river, about two leagues 



so 



SEVILLE AND 



above where Seville now stands, with the double object 
of visiting the ruins, and a Convent of Hieronomite 
monks, who had extensive olive plantations, and presses 
for extracting the oil. I w^as accompanied by a gentle- 
man belonging to an English mercantile house, to the 
head of which I had brought a letter of introduction. 
We passed one vineyard, the only one I saw within 
many miles of Seville ; and the wine of this, the calesera 
said, was not good. We made our first visit to the con- 
vent, as it was now 11 o'clock, and the dinner hour of 
the monks was 12. A monk, whom we met in the 
outer yard, desired one of their farming men to show us 
the oil press — a very clumsy affair. The press consists 
of a beam of immense length, and not less than five 
cubic feet in thickness, at the thickest part. The pivot 
or hinge, on which this lever works, is placed at about 
one-fourth of the length of the beam from its thickest 
end. The long arm of the lever is pressed upwards by 
a screw, and the thick end is thus pressed down upon 
the olives which are placed under it, enclosed in a kind 
of mat made of grass, after having been broken in a 
mill. There were two of these levers in the house. The 
man who showed us the presses said, that a good olive 
tree would yield from three to four Junegas of olives in 
a good year, and that generally b. J'anega of olives would 
)ield an arroba (about 4^ gallons) of oil. — From the oil 
presses we went to the garden, where there are a few fruit 
trees, and where they cultivate vegetables. There was 
neither variety dn the plants, nor taste in their distri- 
bution ; but here, as elsewhere, there was a noria at 
work, with one ox. The water was conveyed through- 
out the garden by small canals. The p7'ocurador, 
or steward of the convent, to whom notice had been 



ITS ENVIRONS. 



31 



sent by the first monk of our wish to see the pre- 
mises, had returned an answer that he was occupied 
and could not come. We now went up to the granary, 
and found him employed in taking an account of a 
quantity of wheat w^hich some men were conveying from 
one part of the granary to another. Don Peres, my 
companion, expressed to him my wish to see every thing 
that was to be seen, and particularly the oil presses. 
" Ah," he replied, " the English are a very ingenious 
people ; but they already know every thing sufficiently 
well, and do not need to be instructed." He therefore 
saw us w^alking about the granary without stirring from 
his seat, or offering a single observation, and he seemed 
very well pleased when we took our leave. The granary 
contained a considerable quantity of very fair wheat, also 
some Indian corn and millet. I looked in vain to dis- 
cover a single weevil, and found that this insect, which 
occasions such ravages with us, was only known here by 
name. As we proceeded to Italica w'e found a large 
number of people shelling maize— the greater part 
belonging to the monks, who are the proprietors and 
farmers of most of the land surrounding their convent. 
Their mode of shelling was to take a blunt iron instru- 
ment (most of them used the back of a reaping hook, or 
the instrument with wdiich they clean their ploughs), 
and holding the cob in their left hand, wnth the thick 
end up, continue striking it till all the corn is off. Each 
stroke stripped the cob from top to bottom of the place 
where it was struck. I put the question to several, 
and they said that one person would thus shell from 4 
to 5 fanegas, that is, about from eight to ten bushels in 
a day, and that they received a rial for each fanega ; that 
is, from the 4th to the 5th of a dollar per day ; but they 



32 



SEVILLE AND 



do not earn such wages at every kind of work. The 
crop of maize appeared, from the quality of the grain, to 
have been a fine one, and one of the persons told me 
that it had yielded at the rate of about 50 bushels an 
acre. The olives on the trees we examined, in the 
neighbourhood of the convent, did not appear to have 
suffered so much as those of Xeres. The man who 
showed us the presses, said that there was no such thing 
as a failure in the crop of olives every second year. He 
said they had all suffered very much this year, in conse- 
quence of the rains in summer, but that even this year 
their olives had not failed. On returning we struck off 
into a field where a lot of men and horses were employed 
in treading out millet. There were nine horses, and a 
driver to every three. They were driven round the circle 
all abreast ; the whole superficies of a very large circle, 
from the centre outwards, being covered with the tops of 
the millet which had been cut off with very little of the 
straw. They had begun about mid-day and would 
finish at night. The produce would be about 80 fane- 
gas — 160 bushels. Many of the fields in this neigh- 
bourhood are cultivated with corn crops under the 
olive trees, and they say that the crop is not injured by 
the latter. The olives are never manured unless the 
ground under is cultivated, and then they of course 
receiv^e a share of the advantage which is intended for 
the corn. 

Having been told by the merchant to whom I brought 
a letter of introduction that a Spanish nobleman, the 
Marquis del Arco Hermoso, had introduced the Florence 
mode of preparing oil, which he had learnt during a 
residence in Tuscany, I determined on visiting his plan- 
tation, which lay beyond the town of Jlcala, about four 



OLIVE PLANTATIONS. 



S3 



leagues from Seville. On this excursion I was accom- 
panied by Don Francisco Dias, a Spanish gentleman 
who spoke French, and to whom I had brought an intro- 
duction from Mr. Gordon, of Xeres. We expected to 
find the Marquis, who was a particular friend of Don 
Francisco's, at his plantation. 

The town of Jlcala, perhaps from its excellent situa- 
tion for water mills, is almost wholly inhabited by bakers, 
who send their bread to Seville. At almost every door 
we saw the women sitting picking from the wheat the 
small stones, and other impurities, which it collects from 
their rude mode of thrashing. 

The Marquis had left his country-house about an 
hour before our arrival, but we found a very intelligent 
peasant, who had the management of it in his absence, 
and who answered my questions with great readiness and 
intelligence. There are 200 aranzadas under olives, 
which have this year suffered much from the rain. 
When rain falls in August, as was the case this year, 
the olives always suffer from it. He estimates the 
present crop at about 2,000 fanegas of olives, which will 
yield about 1,500 arrobas of oil ; but in a very favour- 
able year the plantation will yield 5,000 fanegas of olives, 
or about 3,750 arrobas of oil. All the ground we saw 
was a very light sandy loam. It is ploughed once a-year. 
They plough an aranzada of the olive ground in a day, 
but not more than half that quantity of the meadow or 
corn land below. There are five kinds of olives on the 
estate — one of them, the La Reyna, is of a very large 
size and is pickled for eating. The tree of this variety 
produces but little fruit, and the fruit when pressed 
yields very little oil, but it is very highly prized for 
eating, being as large as a good siz:ed plum. 

c 3 



S4 ENVIRONS OF SEVILLE. 

The mill for grinding, or crushing the olives, consisted 
of a large circular stone, sloping inwards to the centre, 
where a sufficient space was left level for a millstone of 
seven feet in diameter, and 14 inches in thickness, to turn 
upon its edge. An upright beam, fixed to the centre of 
the millstone, and turning on a pivot, gave it motion. 
After having been brought home, the olives lie in a heap, 
on an average about 15 days before they are crushed. 
After having been crushed they are put into the press, 
and it is the common practice to pour hot water upon 
them, in order to extract the oil. They are pressed 
thrice, and each time with the addition of boiling water, 
there being a large boiler built into a furnace to supply 
the water. The fluid runs from the press to a cistern, 
and, when it is filled, the oil flows over at the top, 
leaving the water below, which is cleared away, as neces- 
sary. The peasant said, that all the difference between 
the fine and common oil was, that the former was the 
virgin juice, drawn off with cold water, and not mixed 
witli the second and third pressings. The press in this 
cellar was of the same construction as those at the con- 
vent : it was 20 paces in length, 14 of w^hich were on the 
long arm of the beam, and 6 at the short or press end. 
It must, from its thickness, contain many tons of timber. 
The oil is kept in large jars, some of which were built 
into a projecting part of the wall, and were sufficiently 
capacious to contain 100 gallons each. The fine oil 
produced by the Marquis is not relished by his country- 
men ; they say it has no taste, and prefer the rancid oil 
which they have been accustomed to use. 

The trees on this property are reckoned very young 
for olives, although they are sixty years old. They are 
pruned every year. A man will prune half an aranzada 



ORANGE GROVES. 



35 



in a day. But olive trees are said not to require pruning 
at all, till they are 25 or 30 years old. 200 aranzadas 
are equal to 191 English acres, and 3,000 arrobas of oil, 
the average annual produce, are equal to 12,735 English 
gallons, old measure — about 661 gallons per Englisli 
acre. 

I do not know, however, whether there was not 
included in this estimate 40 aranzadas that are entirely 
planted with the La Reyna, which are never pressed for 
oil. Even with this deduction the produce would fall 
very far short of what the trees of the Hieronomites 
were said to produce ; namely, from three to four fane- 
gas of olives each tree, each fanega yielding an arroba 
of oil. An English acre will contain 60 trees, 27 feet 
apart, which is about the distance they were placed from 
each other on the Marquis's plantations ; and, indeed, 60 
was said b}^ the peasant to be the number on each aran- 
zada. 153 acres, bearing 60 trees each, will contain 
9,180 trees, and the produce being 3,000 arrobas, it is 
scarcely one-third of an arroba for each tree. 

This comes nearer to Don Jacobo Gordon's state- 
ment, that from 1^ to If arroba is reckoned a good 
return from each tree. The trees of the Hieronomites, 
as well indeed as the most of those I saw in the neiffh- 
bourhood of Xeres, were planted on a richer soil, and 
were of much larger dimensions ; but this could never 
cause such a difference as to reconcile the different state- 
ments. 

The principal exports from Seville are bitter and 
sweet oranges, and lemons. The sweet oranges are more 
cultivated than the bitter. I visited several plantations; 
one belonging to Mr. Wetherall, the merchant to whom 
I had brought an introduction. The plants are all 



S6 



ORANGE GROVES. 



raised from pips of the bitter orange, and when the 
stocks are four years old they bud them with two or 
three eyes of the sweet orange. The orange groves are 
reckoned of great value. The trees are planted at the 
instance of 21 or 22 feet each way, and, in good years, 
will yield from 1,000 to 1 ,200, or even 1 ,500 oranges each. 
They are irrigated every ten days, and the soil is dis- 
posed in small trenches to allow the water to spread. 
This plantation was watered by means of a steam en- 
gine, which was erected in a neighbouring tan-yard. 
Seville also exports wool and oil ; but very little wool 
has been exported this season, in consequence of an ex- 
pectation that Saxony wools would be excluded from the 
ports of England on account of the cholera morbus. 
Prices have risen so largely, on this account, that the 
merchants cannot execute the orders of their corre- 
spondents. The wools shipped from Seville are those 
of Estremadura, and are of inferior quality. The chief 
shipments of the Segovian and Leonesian fleeces are 
made from Bilboa. I believe no person in New South 
Wales was aware, at the time the prices of their wools 
sunk more than 50 per cent, in the English market (4 or 
^ years ago), that the Spanish Government had repealed 
an export duty of two rials (about 5d,) on the wools of 
Estremadura, and three rials (about 7^d.) on those of 
Segovia and Leonesia; and thus enabled wools to be 
exported to a vast extent, which would never otherwise 
have reached the English market. About 50 vessels, of 
from 80 to 120 tons burthen, are annually loaded with 
oranges and lemons at Seville. The chief plantations 
are at some distance from the town. It appears to be 
a fruit not much used by the inhabitants themselves. 
There was scarcely an orange tree to be seen in private 



JOURNEY FROM SEVILLE. 37 

gardens, or in any of the small villages round Seville. 
At the present season they are gathering the Grenadilla^ 
or pomegranate, which is very abundant ; and this, with 
melons, and bread, and olives, seems to constitute, at 
this season, the principal fare of the common people at 
all times of the day. 

Wednesday, \2th October. — On Thursday morning 
last I joined the caravan of the ordinario, which, on its 
starting, consisted of six waggons, besides a covered cart 
with stuffed seats and backs, called a tertanay in which 
were three friars and myself. A number of persons, on 
asses and on foot, also accompanied us, but these gra- 
dually dropt off as we proceeded. It took six days, in- 
cluding a day spent at the town of Antequera, to accom- 
plish the journey to Malaga, a distance of 130 miles. 
About eight miles before reaching the former town, a 
party of horsemen came in sight, to the evident conster- 
nation of every one. It was said they belonged to the 
party of Jose Maria, a famous brigand, who has 35 men 
well mounted and equipped, and levies contributions on 
all the roads throughout the province. They did not, 
however, approach nearer than half-a-mile; and one of 
the muleteers having gone off to them, returned in three 
quarters of an hour, and said they were not robbers but 
soldiers. Two miles farther on, however, we stopped at 
a house where we were told it was customary to make a 
contribution to guarantee travellers against robbers; and 
14 dollars having been collected, we saw no more of the 
party which caused such alarm. 

With little exception, the whole tract of country from 
Seville to Antequera is of the richest possible description, 
but in the most wretched state of cultivation. There are 
no enclosures save here and there a vineyard ; and such 



38 JOURNEY FROM SEVILLE 

is the state of personal insecurity, that no farmer or pro- 
prietor ventures to live on his land. The inhabitants 
are congregated in the towns or in miserable villages, 
and only visit the distant fields to give them the least 
possible culture, and to gather in the harvest when ripe. 
This beincr a cross-road, the inns were of the meanest 
description ; and the fare, which was undoubtedly supe- 
rior to the daily fare even of those above the rank of a 
peasant, was such as to indicate the greatest poverty. I 
did not see 100 head of cattle, or twice as many sheep, 
during the whole journey ; and only once was butcher's 
meat set upon the table. My companions seemed to 
consider themselves fortunate when the bill of fare in- 
cluded a stewed rabbit or hare; and this was in a country 
rich enough to support ten times its population, in the 
greatest abundance. From Antequera to Malaga, about 
22 miles, the character of the country was totally different. 
Instead of the rich and extensive plains, bounded by 
gently rising hills covered with the olive, the road here 
wound through a continuation of steep rocks and hills, 
in many places approaching in character to mountains. 
But here the hand of industry had been at work, and. 
instead of a track formed by the successive marks of 
wheels, there was a road cut out of the sides of the hills, 
and winding through them with considerable "^rt. Here 
and there also, where a favourable spot was presented, a 
peasant had established himself ; and the plantations of 
vines and olives, with which his industry had surrounded 
his habitation, had given to the narrow valleys, and steep 
declivities of the mountains, an appearance of cultivation 
and fertility that might be looked for in vain in the wide 
spreading and rich valleys through which we had pre- 
viously passed. As we approached Malaga these plan- 



TO MALAGA. 



39 



tations became frequent, although the country only pre- 
sents a succession of steep hills ; the soil a loose brown 
loam, plentifully mixed with the gravel of the strata 
beneath, which is a blue or grey shale or schistus, turning- 
brown and falling to pieces on exposure to the atmo- 
sphere. In many places, as appeared at the sides of the 
road, there were five or six feet in depth of this loose 
soil, before it came upon the more solid material. It 
was evident the vines had been planted without the 
ground having undergone any previous preparation ; and 
no provision was made, even in the steepest places, to 
prevent the soil from being washed away. The vines, 
in general, seemed to be treated in a very slovenly man- 
ner ; the stock was close to the ground, and numerous 
weak shoots were springing out in every direction. 

It was seven in the evening when we entered Malaga, 
having been travelling from three o'clock in the morning, 
at which time we started by torch-light. During the 
whole of this time the mules had no food, and only one 
hour's rest, which was afforded them by the overturning 
of a waggon, and yet they came into Malaga without any 
symptoms of fatigue. 

After enjoying a comfortable night's rest, I proceeded 
to deliver my letters of introduction. One of these was to 
Mr. Kirkpatrick, the Hanoverian Consul — a Scotsman by 
birth — who had resided 40 years in Spain, and whose 
kindness to travellers is proverbial. I found that the 
season for preserving raisins had been over for some time ; 
Mr. Kirkpatrick, however, lost no time in ascertaining 
what information could yet be procured. 

Friday, 9^\st October.— ki day- break this morning, a 
gentleman, whom Mr. Kirkpatrick requested to show me 
his vineyard, and explain the process of preserving the 



40 ENVIRONS OF MALAGA. 

grapes, waited upon me, and we set out immediate]^. 
Our road lay along the shore, to the eastward, the vine- 
yard of Don Salvador Solier lying in that direction, at the 
distance of about 14; miles. In the immediate vicinity of 
Malaga the country is extremely rugged, but every patch 
where it was possible to thrust in a plant was under culti- 
vation. The rocks consisted of rugged masses of lime- 
stone, alternating with the same kind of slaty schist I had 
previously observed on the road from Antequera. For the 
first two leagues there were few vineyards, chiefly owing 
to the ruggedness of the country, which would not admit 
of cultivation. Beyond that distance almost every hill 
was covered with vines, the produce of which is all con- 
verted into raisins. The grapes are all of the large white 
Muscatel — the Muscatel Gordo of Roxas Clemente. This 
grape, my companion informed me, does not succeed in 
the interior, and therefore all the Muscatel raisins are 
made within two leagues of the coast. The Lexia raisins, 
which are used for puddings, &c., are made in the interior. 
We arrived at the country-house of Don Salvador at nine 
o'clock, and, after a substantial breakfast, sallied out to 
examine the vines. Six or seven workmen were employed 
in preparing the ground for planting, within a short dis- 
tance of the house. They did not trench the whole of 
the ground, but dug out square holes about two feet in 
diameter, and not more than 20 inches in depth. The 
distance of the centres of these holes from each other is 
seven feet, and this is the distance at which the vines on 
the hills round Malaga seem invariably to be planted. 
The vineyard I was examining, as well as all those in its 
vicinity, consisted of a series of steep hills. The soil 
everywhere was a decomposed slate, mixed with abund- 
ance of gravel of the same substance. On the higher 



MUSCATEL RAISINS. 



41 



part of the ground this soil appeared rather hard, and 
required great labour to break it up, but once broken up 
it is loose for ever; so much so, that it slides away from 
under the feet even where there is only a slight slope. 
There is no difference made in the distance at which the 
vines are planted, between the hills and the valleys; 
although in many places, on the former, the shoots 
scarcely extend more than 10 or 12 inches, while in the 
valleys they extend to the length of as many feet. They 
never, under any circumstances, manure these vineyards : 
they say it would give more wood, but would not add 
to the quantity of the fruit. The branches are pruned 
closer to the stock than those of any vines I ever saw ; 
nothing but the half-formed buds, at the junction of the 
old and new wood, being left to produce the wood ofthe 
succeeding year. I could not find an instance where the 
spur had been left long enough to include the first full- 
formed bud, which is generally from half an inch to an 
inch from the junction. The number of shoots seemed 
almost unlimited; I counted from 10 to 22; there was 
scarcely any vine had fewer than 10, and they generally 
had from J 2 to 15. The stock was close to the ground, 
and not the slightest effort made to raise the shoots, or 
support them from the ground. Almost every bunch 
would therefore lie on the ground; and, were the soil of 
a less gravelly description, the greater part would without 
doubt be lost. After the pruning, they dig over the ground 
and lay bare the stock, in order to scrape off the barbe, or 
small thread-like roots which are near the surface. As 
scarcely any grass or herb vegetates among these vines^ 
and the soil is always sufficiently loose, it is evident that 
they require little digging or cleaning. We went out to 
visit a peasant, a neighbour of Don Salvador's. He said 
four or five very fine vines might yield raisins enough to 



42 



ENVIRONS OF MALAGA. 



fill a box which contains an ar?'oba of 25 lbs. ; but 
throughout the country it would require, on an average, 
nine or ten. The grapes lose about two-thirds of their 
weight in drying : this would, therefore, give a produce of 
7 or 8 lbs. of grapes to each vine — a calculation which I 
should think must include a much greater proportion of 
stinted vines than of luxuriant ones ; for the majority of 
those in Don Salvador's vineyard would, I have no doubt, 
yield double that quantity. Including, however, those 
vines which are visible at the tops even of the highest 
hills, the calculation is likely enough to be correct . The 
peasant whom we visited was making wine from some of 
his grapes, which, after having been nearly dried, were 
spoiled by the rain. In a small skilling, behind the cot- 
tage, a portion of the floor, about ten feet square, was ele- 
vated above the rest. It was paved with tiles, and a man 
was busy trampling the raisins, which he had almost re- 
duced to a paste. He heaped them into a corner as he 
successively passed them under his feet for the press, 
which was merely a large beam passing along the skilling, 
without any screw, or any other means of giving it addi- 
tional power as a lever. A little water was added to the 
grapes to bring out the juice, and a part of the must was 
on the fire boiling to add to its strength. We tasted some 
wine made two months before from the Pedro Ximenes 
grape, and also some from that grape mixed with the 
Muscatel: both were as sweet and luscious as possible. 
The grapes, when dried, are worth double what they 
would yield made into wine, and therefore they are never 
made into wine unless spoiled by the rain. 

They usually commence gathering the grapes about 
the middle of August, choosing only such bunches as are 
ripe. They return, after a week or two, to make another 
selection, and soon for a third and fourth time. A place 



MUSCATEL RAISINS. 



43 



is always reserved in the vineyard, free from plants, on 
which to spread the grapes when gathered; and they 
choose a spot where the soil is of the darkest colour, in 
order to its keeping the full force of the sun's rays during 
the day, and retaining the heat during the night. The 
bunches are spread out separately on the ground, and 
never allowed to press upon each other : — according to 
Don Salvador they are only once turned over. At the 
end of 15 days they are, in general, sufficiently dry. 
This season was more unfortunate for the early commence- 
ment of the rains than any season for many years, and 
the crop was remarkably fine. It is Don Salvador's in- 
tention, in future years, to have wooden toldos^ or awn- 
ings, prepared to shelter the grapes, while drying, against 
the rains, and also to cover them during the night. He 
says that the drying of the grapes is so much retarded by 
their being exposed to the dews during the night, that 
when he has the means of covering them at night, he ex- 
pects they will be dried in half the time usual at present. 
Before the bunches are spread out, the small grapes are 
picked out, as well as any which may happen to be in- 
jured ; the small grapes are dried separately. I saw a 
heap of them in Don Salvador's house, which had the ap- 
pearance of very large currants. When the grapes are 
turned, any spoiled ones are, or ought to be picked 
out ; they have no particular rule for judging when they 
are sufficiently dry, — it is learnt by experience. When 
they happen to get rain while drying, the stalks become 
black or rusty-looking, instead of being of a bright light 
brown. According to Don Salvador, the district which 
produces the Muscatel grape extends only two leagues 
farther east ; that is, not more than three leagues in all 
along the coast, and two leagues inwards. He says the 
value of the land planted with it is about 3,000 rials, or 



44 



ENVIRONS OF MALAGA. 



150 Spanish dollars per fanega. There is a piece of 
land, adjoining their own, which they are anxious to buy ; 
they would give for it 1,500 rials per fanega — to plant 
it with vines would cost 500 rials more, and there would 
be no return for three years. Each fanega^ he says, con- 
tains 650 stocks, and as each stock is seven feet apart 
from its neighbours, the number of square feet in a fanega 
will be 31,850, vvhich is 2 roods 37 perches English mea- 
sure. It required, he said, ten men for a day to hole a 
fanega for the plantation. If, therefore, 10 stocks give 
25 lbs. of raisins, a fanega will give 1 ,625 lbs., or 65 
arrohas or boxes of 25 lbs. each ; which would be, for an 
English acre, 2^222 lbs. Don Salvador pays his workmen 
3^: rials, about 8|d. a-day, besides food. The food consists 
of, in the morning, a soup of lentils, &c. ; at dinner, 
pork ; and, at supper, the aspachio, or cold soup, formerly 
described, bread and grapes at discretion. The whole 
costs about 5f rials, or 14d., a-day. 

Saturday^ 9,2nd October. — Having read over to Mr. 
Kirkpatrick my notes of yesterday's excursion, he said 
that Don Salvador's information was generally correct, 
but added the following observations : — The Muscatel 
grape, Mr. Kirkpatrick thinks, must be cultivated as 
much as four leagues from the coast, but will not suc- 
ceed beyond that distance. The extent of coast which 
admits of its cultivation must also be five or six leagues, 
at least, as the principal cultivation is in the neighbour- 
hood of Velez Malaga, five leagues to the eastward of 
Malaga. — There are three distinct sorts of raisins: — 1st, 
the Muscatel, which are the finest, and are always 
packed in boxes of 25 lbs., and half and quarter boxes 
containing, respectively, the half and quarter of that 
quantity. — 2dly, Sun or Bloom raisins : these are pre- 
pared in a manner in every respect similar to the Mus- 



MUSCATEL RAISINS. 



45 



catel, but from a different grape — a very long grape, 
called in the country Uva Larga. These are also gene- 
rally packed in boxes, but sometimes in casks. Those 
in boxes are also called hunch raisins; the others are 
generally of an inferior quality, and separate from the 
stalks. The Sun or Bloom raisins keep better than the 
Muscatel, and for that reason, it is this description which 
is usually sent to India. 3dly, the Lexia raisins, which 
are packed in casks, or grass mats called frails. These 
raisins are of an inferior kind, and require to be dipt 
in a lye (Lexia) of wood ashes, with a little oil, before 
drying. 

Muscatel raisins are worth, to the grower, from 30 to 
40 rials a box, according to the season. This year as 
much as 52 rials was given for some that, with the aid 
of toldos^ had been preserved without having been 
touched by the rain. When Muscatels are 40 rials, or 
2 dollars a box of 25 lbs. Blooms are about 30 rials, and 
Lexia only from 24 to 28 rials per quintal of 100 lbs. 
Mr. Kirkpatrick says, that 12 English acres make 13 
fanegas. According to this calculation, an acre will 
produce, at 2i- lbs. to each stock, 1,760 lbs. ; which, at 
40 rials the box, or 4d. a pound, are worth 7s. — at 
30 rials, £22 an acre. From this must, however, be 
deducted the expense of 70 boxes, at 4 rials each, which 
amounts to £% 17s. 6d. Still it seems a most profitable 
cultivation ; so much so, that I incline to think the 
quantity is less than that estimated. The expenses of 
cultivation cannot exceed £5 or £6 an acre. The follow- 
ing accounts of the exportation of fruits from Malaga 
were taken from detailed statements which had been 
copied from the Custom House Cockets, and were kept 
in the office of Mr. Kirkpatrick : — 



46 



FRUIT TRADE. 



I, I 



O S ; T)l 05 O 

Sfi o 2 I CO CO ^ 



IcomootNino© 



ri 



O to 

1^ 



• . . . fl;ai^ . 



c 0) 
ctf c -t; 



2i B 
p oi a 



)fH ■mnu,/'szH\ Jvaj{ pui moj/ '6z8l -tnaji 



Prunes. 



(M >n in ' 

Oi IM CD i 



! CO <N 00 



3 - = ' 



O O O lO 
O M O) 05 
o o> 00 O i>. 



Oi 05 O 00 

lO IM CO « <N 

01 00 so !N CO 00 



" rt c g <U 

2 o 2i § g^-s'a 



OOinCJ>!MO>t>.iOOO 
CO— •TjiOOOObs.QO'W-^ 
Oli-<tOOi'-i(Ml>.(N00 



0> W <N 1^ - 



«<i o CO >n 



>C0Ol^Ot^OOO 
,00— ilNiOOOOO 



5^ (N lO IN CO (M -< 



a ffi t:) pq llj o M p. 1-3 O 



•udQojoo HJlZ 0) fsnSny 



FRUIT TRADE. 47 

The boxes are partly Bloom or Sun raisins^ but prin- 
cipally Muscatel. The barrels and frails are chiefly 
Leccias. 

In the spring, shipments are made for the Baltic, and 
small parcels are sent, at all times, in assorted cargoes. 
On the whole, INIr. Kirkpatrick is of opinion, that from 
20 to 25 per cent, may be added to the shipments of the 
fruit season, to make up the whole export from Malaga. 
This would make the whole weight of raisins annually 
exported from Malaga from 4,000 to 4,500 tons. The 
almonds shipped from Malaga are of the kind called Jor- 
dan ; and these, as well as the Muscatel raisin, will only 
grow in a very limited disti-ict. Mr. Kirkpatrick has this 
day about 100 women shelling almonds in his yard. This 
costs three rials a fanega, which yields from 20 to 22 lbs. 
of shelled almonds. A fanega is the produce of about 
four trees. The grower gets from three to four dollars 
for a fanega. The women break each almond separately, 
laying it on a small anvil, and striking it with a small 
iron rod ; others pick them out from the shells on a table. 
The confectioners purchase the shells for their fires, and 
.they almost pay the expense of shelling. Such is the su- 
perior value of the Jordan almond, that the duty upon 
them in England is £4. 15s. per cwt., which is double 
that upon the common sorts. The Jordan almond is dis- 
tinguished in appearance from the common, or Valencia 
almond, by its greater length. 

Monday^ 24th October. — I this day visited the stores 
of Messrs. Rein and Company, the first mercantile house 
in Malaga. They were receiving, in one store, Lexia 
raisins from the country. The grower, in the beginning 
of the season, got ten rials the arroba, of 25 lbs. ; the 
price is now only seven. The quality this season is very 



48 



FRUIT TRADE. 



bad ; many of the raisins appeared bruised and burst by 
the rain. Ten rials the arroba amounts to two dollars 
per quintal, of 100 pounds — one penny per pound. A 
peasant, who had come with the fruit, said they would get 
from ten to twelve quintals from a fanega. The persons 
in the office seemed to think, that, either from ignorance 
or intention, he understated the quantity. This would 
only be twenty-two dollars for a fanega, 

Mr. Delius, the clerk of the fruit department, said he , 
thought the estimate of 1,625 pounds of Muscatels from 
a fanega, was likely to be correct. They usually, be 
said, expected 60 arrobas — that is, 1,500 pounds, in a 
good season ; from 50 to 60 arrobas was the average. 
In the neighbourhood of Messrs. Rein's stores they were 
packing lemons. The grower gets seven dollars for a 
case containing 1 ,000 : — the largest are sent to England. 
They are each put into a piece of paper by women, who 
get through the work very rapidly ; they are employed 
by the day, and get five rials, about one shilling, for their 
work. The green grapes sent to England are packed 
in oak saw-dust, which is imported from England for 
that purpose ; no other kind will answer. It is a coarse 
fleshy grape called Loja, from the place where it is culti- 
vated ; it keeps till April and May. There is a large 
black grape very abundant in the markets at present, and 
also a large green grape, neither of which is distinguished 
for flavour ; they are sold at four quartos, about one 
penny, a pound. 

The house of Rein and Company have extensive sugar 
plantations at Almunecar, about 30 or 40 miles east of 
Malaga. I had determined to accompany Mr. Delius, a 
member of the house, to visit these plantations, in which 
I felt a great degree of interest, as I was confident, that 



SUGAR PLANTATIONS. 



49 



if sugar could be cultivated here, it ought to succeed at 
Port Macquarie. An opportunity of a vessel for Mar- 
seilles having, however, presented itself in the mean time, 
I resolved on taking my passage by her. I procured from 
Mr. Delius the following information respecting the sugar 
plantations. Sugar has been cultivated in this part of 
Spain for nearly 100 years, but never to any very great 
extent. The plantations at present are more extensive 
than they have ever been before. The whole produce 
does not, however, exceed 20,000 quintals, of which 
5,000 are produced by their house ; 20,000 quintals, of 
100 pounds each, are 894 tons. Rein and Company's 
own plantations are not very extensive, but they have 
erected a mill and distillery. They receive from the 
planters the cane, and return them one-half of the manu- 
factured article. Four or five kinds of cane have been 
cultivated, but they are now confining their attention to 
the large Otaheite cane, finding it succeed better, and 
yield a better return. The soil is in general of a loose 
sandy quality, but very rich, and is also richly manured. 
The planting takes place in May, and the canes are cut 
in February following. The same stools will last for six 
years. They are cut down to 10 inches from the surface. 
Six plants are put into one hole, and the holes are not 
more than three feet apart, so that it is impossible to enter 
the plantation after the canes have got to a certain height. 
The ground is cultivated by ploughs with oxen, but of 
course only when the canes are very young, or in the 
early part of the season. The cane grows to the thickness 
of a man's arm, and from 18 feet to 20 feet high. Mr. 
Delius has seen fifteen feet of ripe cane. A fanega of 
rich land will yield from 45 to 50 quintals, that is, from 
4,500 to 5,000 pounds of sugar. They have a refinery 

D 



50 



OLD MOUNTAIN WINES. 



on the spot. This year their sugar brought 10 percent, 
higher than imported sugar ; and their rum promises, 
when old, to be equal to that of the West Indies. It is 
now two years old, buf as they consider that the rum 
hitherto made has failed to come into use from having 
been sold to the consumer too early, they intend to hold 
it for two years longer. The frost sometimes injures the 
sugar cane a little, but frost seldom occurs. Twice 
during 20 years Mr. Delius has observed it of the thick- 
ness of a dollar in the night. The ordinary range of the 
thermometer, during the day, in the winter months, is 56 
to 58 ; in May and June 72 to 75 ; in July and August 
78 to 82 or 83, except when once or twice during the 
season it blows over the land, when it rises to 100. The 
temperature of the atmosphere along the coast is exceed- 
ingly equable. During 20 years Mr. Delius never 
observed the barometer vary more than an inch; its 
range is between 29j; and SO^-. The sugar cane will not 
grow except within five miles of the coast. Beyond that 
distance the frost is greater, and the weather more 
unsettled. The land planted with sugar cane is irrigated 
twice or thrice when the shoots are very young, but Mr. 
Delius thinks not afterwards. All the plantations com- 
mand the means of irrigation. 

With reference to the value of vineyards, a friend of 
Mr. Kirkpatrick''s gave me the following information : — 
He purchased an estate five years ago. It is situated 
about two leagues from Malaga, and is all mountain. 
Vineyards are valued by the number of stocks. An 
ahrado contains 1,000 stocks ; this at seven feet distance, 
gives 180 perches, or one acre and 20 perches, as the 
extent of an abrado. In this estate there were 80 abrados, 
or 90 acres, planted with vines, which were in very bad 
order. Also about 150 acres more, which were not 



MALAGA. 



51 



planted, and were considered of very little value. The 
price was 5,000 dollars, about 1,050/., nearly 121. an acre 
for the vines, counting the remainder as nothing. The 
produce was very little the first four years : last year 600 
arrobas, this year 1 ,000, and if the next season is favour- 
able, it will produce 1,500 arrobas. The new wine, as 
soon as the fermentation is over, is worth from nine to 
ten rials an arroba; 1,500 arrobas are equal to about 
4,500 gallons, which is only 50 gallons an acre, and at 
the highest price only eight dollars and one third per acre. 
This is so poor a return, both in quantity and value, that 
it is probable the vineyard is still far from having been 
brought into full bearing, and that the 150 acres must 
have been considered worth a considerable part of the 
price, notwithstanding its depreciation. 

The produce of the vineyards round Malaga, which is 
not converted into raisins, is now chiefly a dry wine. It 
is similar to Sherr}^, but very inferior in flavour, and is 
chiefly taken off" by the Americans. The demand from 
America has greatly increased since the general establish- 
ment of temperance societies in that country. This wine 
retains a sweet taste till it is two years old. The Old 
Mountain, or Malaga sweet wine, which was formerly 
so much in demand, is now almost out of fashion 
throughout the world, and is very little made. It was 
formerly the chief export from Malaga. 

Friday, 28th October. — Having been introduced to 
Mr. Bryan, a gentlemen of Irish extraction, and brother- 
in-law to Mr. Heredia, one of the principal merchants in 
Malaga, I w^ent with him to visit the cellars of the latter. 
There is no such wine as Malvasia, which is said, in the 
Topographie des Vignobles, to be produced at Malaga. 
The Muscat wine is very scarce, the raisins being so 

D 2 



52 MALAGA 

much more profitable. They make a white sweet wine 
with the Pedro Ximenes, and a small portion of the 
Muscat wine added to it, to give it the flavour of a Muscat 
wine. The sole difference between this wine and the 
Mountain, is that the latter is mixed with a portion of 
must, which has been boiled down to one-third ; this also 
gives it the brown colour, Mr. Bryan says, that within 
the last two years there has been a great demand for sweet 
wines from the United States. Most of the wines this 
year were therefore made sweet, and the farmers are 
getting a better price. The new wine is, this year, worth 
to the grower twelve rials the arroba. The difference in 
the making between the sweet wine and the dry is, that 
when the grapes are intended for the former, they are 
spread out for three or four days in the sun. The new 
wine, when sweet, is worth a third more than when dry. 
An abrado of 1000 stocks, even in the mountains, Mr. 
Bryan said, will sometimes yield three or four butts of 
wine. Mr. Heredia has lately purchased a vineyard of 
400 abradoes, which they are now improving. In one or 
two years more they expect it will yield 1,000 butts of 
wine annually. Mr. Bryan thinks it may contain 500,000 
stocks ; he says the varieties of vines chiefly cultivated, 
are the Pedro Ximenes, and the Doradillo. Both the dry 
and the sweet wines are made from them, the difference 
being only in the management. In Mr. Heredia's vine- 
yard, which is situated to the north of Malaga, near the 
top of the mountain, there are fifteen varieties of vines ; 
but by far the greater portion consists of the two varieties 
already mentioned. The system of pruning in the neigh- 
bourhood of Malaga has hitherto, Mr. Bryan says, been 
very bad, it having been the universal practice to leave 
a spur on every shoot, weak or strong, and no care was 



DRY WINES. 



53 



taken to keep them from the ground. Since their house 
became such extensive proprietors of vines, they have pro- 
cured men from Xeres de la Frontera to prune the vines, 
according to the system pursued at the latter place ; 
but they find greal^ difficulty in getting their own people 
to follow the example set. Mr. Bryan pressed me very 
much to visit with him their vineyard, which they were 
now pruning, the leaves having fallen, in consequence of 
the difference of temperature at that elevation, although 
near Malaga they were still perfectly fresh ; he promised 
to send to Mr. Kirkpatrick an assortment of cuttings of 
every variety in the vineyard ; and on the other hand he 
requested me to purchase all the publications which have 
lately appeared in France, on subjects connected with 
vine-growing, and forward any information which might 
strike me as being particularly valuable to them. This, 
he says, may save him the trouble of a trip to France, 
which he was contemplating. 

Mr. Bryan disapproves of the system pursued in Xeres, 
of leaving a void of one-fifteenth part in each cask, with 
the bung loose to admit the air. He refers to Dr. Ure"'s 
Chemistry as an authority against this practice. It seldcm 
happens, however, that Sherry wines thus exposed turn 
sour in consequence, although this would inevitably 
happen with wines of less body. 

The farmers in the neighbourhood of Malaga do not, 
like those of Xeres, hold their wine twelve months before 
selling it to the merchant. They have earthen vats, of 
the shape of an urn, and sometimes large enough to con- 
tain two or three butts. Into these vats the must flows 
as it is pressed, and as they become full, in order to make 
room for more, the wine is conveyed from them, more 
or less fermented, as it may happen, to the stores of the 
merchant. Their means of conveyance are mules and 



54 



VARIETIES OF VINES 



asses, the wine being carried in sheepskins ; these skins, 
from being constantly used, do not, however, give any 
taste to the wine. No difference seems to be made in 
price in consequence of any real or supposed difference 
in quality ; and the culture of the vine, excepting that 
of the jMuscatel for raisins, seems to be a very poor 
pursuit. 

Messrs. Heredia and Co. sent a quantity of wine to 
America without brandy, and it was much liked, and 
considered to bear a resemblance to Champagne. I also 
tasted wine of a year old, which he said resembled what 
had been sent. It was very deficient in flavour, but pro- 
mised to be a wine of a good body when older. I also 
tasted some wine which had been sent to Havannah for 
the voyage, but it seemed to me to be exceedingly vapid 
and flavourless. Mr. Bryan complained of the presence 
of tartaric acid in their wines, which gives it, when new, 
a harsh taste. It appeared to me that this acid was rather 
deficient than in excess, and I told him I thought their 
wines would have more character if fermented with the 
husks, and perhaps even a part of the stalks. I think 
their vapid taste, orjudeur, to use a French expression, is 
chiefly owing to the must containing only the purest prin- 
ciples of the grape. A more violent fermentation, pro- 
duced by a larger quantity being fermented in a mass, 
would, on the other hand, make the wine ripen as early 
as at present, notwithstanding the addition of these other 
principles. Indeed, there can be little doubt, that by 
allowing a large portion of tartaric acid to mingle in the 
must with the husks and stalks, a more perfect fermenta- 
tion would be much earlier effected. 

The best wine in Mr. Heredia's cellars falls far short of 
a good Sherry. They have not yet adopted the system of 
having soleras, which are never exhausted. But Mr. Bryan 



CULTIVATED NEAR MALAGA. 



55 



says, their attention has been so largely devoted to other 
pursuits, that hitherto they have not paid so much atten- 
tion to their wines as they will do now that they have 
embarked so largely in the business. 

In the evening I accepted an invitation from an old 
Irish merchant, who has been settled in Malaga for forty 
years — Don Juan Langan — to visit his cellars. He has 
been in the habit of sending choice wines to England and 
Ireland, and particularly of supplying the cellars of noble- 
men, and men of great wealth. Although his stock is 
not very large, he has decidedly the best wines I have 
tasted in Malaga — that is dry wines. Some of them, he 
says, are twenty years old and upwards. Some of his 
wines of seven or eight years old resembled a good Sherry, 
and he agreed with me in thinking that his sweet wine of 
that age was equal to those three times as old. He further 
agreed with me, that the great age of those wines did by 
no means add proportionably to their quality : and he 
evidently understands the art of giving the qualities gene- 
rally attributed to age, by mixing, and other manage- 
ment. He himself hinted at the success with which he 
had conducted this branch of trade, and he has the repu- 
tation of having acquired great wealth. 

In the evening I for the last time took leave of my 
kind and worthy friend Mr. Kirkpatrick, and embarked 
on board the French schooner, in which I had engaged 
my passage to Marseilles. I left with Mr. Kirkpatrick 
the following memorandum ; — " A box three feet long, 
by two feet deep, and two feet wide, will contain nearly 
500 cuttings of vines, each the full length of the box. 
The book called Conversaciones Malaguenas contains 
a list of the varieties cultivated in the neighbourhood 
of Malaga. Perhaps there are some new varieties 
which were not known when it was published. About 



56 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 

thirty varieties are there enumerated. This would al- 
low of thirteen or fourteen cuttings of each kind to be 
sent ; but it is not likely that it will be possible to pro- 
cure cuttings of every kind ; there will therefore be room 
in the box to send a greater quantity of the most valuable ; 
for example, the Muscatel — the Larga, or long grape, 
which yields the bloom raisins — and the Pedro Ximenes : 
six or eight cuttings of each would be enough of the less 
esteemed varieties. It will be observed that there are two 
kinds of the Muscatel ; the smaller may be undervalued 
in this country, but it may suit our climate better than 
the other. Mr. Delius mentioned a vine which had pro- 
duced bunches weighing fifty pounds. Perhaps it would 
be possible to obtain cuttings of this kind, perhaps of the 
identical vine. I should not like the little Corinth grape 
to be forgotten. A cutting should be taken from the 
lowest part of the shoot, as near to the stock as possible, 
the top part of the branch being cut away. Those are 
best which contain the greatest number of knots or buds ; 
a string to be tied round each variety, and a small piece 
of wood tied to the string numbered, so as to correspond 
with the number in the list and description. 

" Besides the name in the book, and colour of the 
grape, it would be desirable that the name most commonly 
given in the country should be stated ; also whether it is 
most esteemed for raisins or for wine — whether used for 
sweet or dry wines — whether a great bearer or otherwise — 
whether it ripens early or late — whether cultivated in the 
vineyards, or the gardens, and any other particulars which 
may distinguish it. The cuttings will pack better if 
procured as straight as possible. Should it be found that 
there is not room to send six or eight cuttings of the least 
esteemed varieties, let the number be diminished to four 
or five ; but, under any circumstances, I should not like 



ON SPANISH WINE. 57 

fewer than from twenty to thirty each of the Muscatel, 
Bloom, and Pedro Ximenes. 

" The interstices formed by the cuttings to be filled up 
with sand and very dry soil. Two boxes of the above 
description to be prepared, one to be sent by the first 
vessel which sails after the vines can be cut with safety, 
which undoubtedly may be done about the 1st of De- 
cember, the duplicate by the next vessel that may follow, 
both addressed to Messrs. Walker, London, who will pay 
all expenses which may have been incurred up to the 
arrival of the boxes in London, and will send them to 
New South Wales by different ships, and by the earliest 
opportunities. Perhaps, in addition to the above, Mr. 
Kirkpatrick will take the trouble to procure a quantity, 
say a gallon, of the freshest Royal Dates of Barbary ; 
also a few of the common varieties, and a gallon of Jordan 
almonds, and send them in a box to the same address. 
Also in the same box a few seeds of the very fine onion, 
which is so abundant in Malaga, and of any esteemed 
kind of melons, or any other fruit or vegetable grown from 
seed which may be considered worth attention. After 
my arrival in London I shall ascertain what are the best 
seasons and modes of sending plants of the Spanish 
chesnut and Jordan almond, and I will take the liberty 
to write Mr. Kirkpatrick upon the subject, satisfied, as 
I cannot but feel, that he will esteem it rather a pleasure 
than a trouble to contribute to the advancement of a 
colony containing so large a proportion of his country- 
men as New South Wales." 

During my stay in Malaga I also wrote to my friend 
Dr. Wilson a letter, which contained the following 
observations and queries relative to Sherry wines :~ 

^' I have been thinking a good deal about the 

D 3 



58 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 

Sherry wines, and there are some points on which I have 
not been able to satisfy myself. You know we no sooner 
had the practice of returning the scum upon the wine, by 
means of a funnel, pointed out to us by Mr. Domecq, 
than we condemned it. It has occurred to me, that after 
all, it may in most cases be the best thing they could do. 
It is the saccharine principle that is undoubtedly most 
abundant in the grapes of these climates, and the imper- 
fect fermentation which takes place in a butt, may 
require to be carried forward by the addition of the 
yeast, which, were it not for the funnel, would escape. 
I think Cormack used the expression, that it was to feed 
the wine that the scum was returned ; in this I have no 
doubt he was correct. On the other hand, it seems to be 
agreed that a good deal of the Sherry, even of the alba- 
rizas, turns sour. This might undoubtedly be prevented 
by a contrary arrangement to the above. I think Domecq 
said, that sometimes 100 butts of the Machar Nudo wine 
would turn sour in one season. I wish you would ask 
him whether there has been an instance of any of his wine 
turning sour since he adopted the practice of allowing the 
scum to escape. Perhaps there are particular kinds of 
grapes in the vineyard which yield a wine without body. 
Perhaps particular parts of the soil do not bring the 
grapes to perfection. You will see from Chaptal what a 
difference there frequently exists in France in the value 
of the produce of two sides of the same hill. It was a 
question I always forgot, or neglected to put at Xeres, 
whether the difference of exposure was found to affect 
the quality of the wine. I suspect all these things have 
been overlooked. 

" When I saw the state of the grapes which Domecq 
was pressing, and which seemed, in fact, no worse than 



ON SPANISH WINE. 



59 



Others we saw in all directions, I thought it was easy to 
account for the scuddiness which so generally attacks 
Sherry wines. Cassabon's overseer, however, afterwards 
showed us, that however broken or rotten in appearance, 
the grapes were by no means in reality decayed. This 
shook my faith in scuddiness being the result, of the 
employment of decayed grapes. On the whole, I think 
if a more perfect fermentation were effected in the first 
instance, little scuddiness would ever afterwards be found 
in the wine, I think you will find in Chaptal, that the 
graisse^ which I take to be the same thing, most fre- 
quently shows itself in wines which have undergone little 
fermentation ; that is, where, in order to preserve the 
bouquet, the fermentation is stopped. He says elsewhere 
also, that it had been usual at Orleans to ferment the 
must with stalks and skins and all. At one time, 
however, they thought of relieving their wine of a degree 
of harshness, by not suffering the stalks to be fermented, 
but it was found that the wine was much more subject to 
graisse, and they returned to their old practice. He says, 
that in various parts of France they deprive the grapes, 
i. e. the must, more or less of the stalks, according as the 
season has been favourable or otherwise for maturing the 
grapes. In a very fine season they leave all the stalks, 
considering it necessary to produce a perfect fermentation. 
In no part of Spain, as far as I can find, do they ferment 
even the skins of the grapes*. Were I concerned in the 
business, I should certainly attach much importance to, 
and expect important results from, a trial of the system of 
large vats, and the fermentation of the skins, in order at 
once to effect a thorough fermentation. In most cases I 



* The red wines of Catalonia, and of otlier provinces which produce red 
^vine, are of course an exception to this observation, as it is necessary to fer- 
ment the skins in order to give the wine a colour. 



60 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 



think you would have an Amontillado ; that is, if you 
allowed the grapes to be as ripe as they are allowed to be 
at present, dried them in the sun, and assisted their 
natural dryness still further by adding gypsum. (By 
the bye, may the gypsum not contribute, by absorbing the 
existing acid, to produce scuddyness?) But if, as is the 
practice at San Lucar, you make the vintage before all 
the grapes should attain the perfect ripeness they do at 
present, and were less particular in depriving them of 
moisture, then I think you would have a wine something 
between the Manzanilla and the Amontillado ; not so dry 
as the latter, but adding much of the mellowness and 
richness of Sherry to the lightness of the Manzanilla. The 
latter is, in fact, the natural wine of the country on the ordi- 
nary soils. If the produce of the albarizas were treated 
in the same manner, you would have a wine of the same 
character, but probably surpassing it in quality as much 
as the real wines of the Chateau Margaux and Haut 
Brion surpass the ordinary growths of Claret. Add to 
this what 1 cannot but think would be a certain, and to 
the merchant the most important, result, you would have 
a wine as ripe in eighteen months as it now is in three or 
four years. There are two or three other little points, 
about wliich I should like to inquire. Domecq said, a 
number of his grapes had rotted this year, in consequence 
of the wet weather and luxuriant vegetation. This he 
would prevent in similar seasons in future, by stripping 
off the leaves to give the grapes sun and air. Pray is this 
practice not generally known in the country ? In the 
south of France it is a regular part of the labours of the 
vineyard, unless in remarkably dry seasons. Another 
query is, do they never take the top off the branch after 
the grapes are formed? — I should like to know Pedro 
Domecq's ideas about the agua pies. In many seasons. 



ON SPANISH WINE. 61 

Cormack says, the agua pies is better than the first 
pressing, — now this can only be owing to the over-ripeness 
of the grape — to its containing too much saccharine 
matter in proportion to its moisture. Would it not be 
better to make the vintage earlier ? and., instead of adding 
foreign moisture, you would then have enough of the 
natural juice of the fruit, and enough also of saccharine 
matter, seeing its excess is the most general fault. But 
this would not suit the hot mouths of your English 
customers. If you have an opportunity, give me some 
particulars of the relative value of the albarizas and arenas. 
I am confident Cormack must be mistaken. I think it is 
barely possible but that the albarizas must be double, 
if not treble, the value of the others." 

Thursday^ 10th November, — After encountering a 
succession of contrary winds and calms, we this day came 
to an anchor in the bay of Rosas, in Catalonia, the north 
wind blowing so strongly out of the Gulf of Lyons, that 
it was impossible to double Cape Creux. I was now on 
the verge of one rf the most interesting wine countries in 
France, and was glad of this opportunity of quitting 
the vessel before her arrival at her destination. But on 
touching the beach we were informed that we must be put 
under quarantine, owing to a report that the yellow fever 
had broken out at Gibraltar, 

Rosas, like most of the other towns I have seen on the 
east coast of Spain, is backed by steep hills, which are 
clothed with vines and olives to the very tops. In the 
distance are the Pyrenees, capped with snow. If one might 
judge from the state of these hills, contrasted with that of 
the rich plains of Andalusia, we might draw the conclu- 
sion, that wherever nature had been bountiful, man had 
been indolent; but where she had been niggardly in her 



62 



ROSAS IN CATALONIA. 



gifts, the deficiency had been more than compensated by 
the industry of man. The hills above Rosas, as well as 
those in the south, exhibit everywhere an appearance of 
the most careful cultivation, and, in general, are covered 
with habitations, while it was rare that a detached house 
was met with for many miles on the plains. 

Friday^ Wth November. — On paying a small fee to the 
health officer, I was permitted, under his guardianship, 
to walk to one of the neighbouring hills. The soil con- 
sisted of nothing else than the rough debris of the granite 
of which they are composed. Towards the bottom of the 
hills the vines were planted in double rows, three feet 
apart, with a space between of thrice that width, which 
had just been ploughed for a grain crop. Higher up, 
the ground is entirely covered with vines and olives, 
planted with regularity wherever the ground permits; 
but, on ascending higher, advantage has been taken of 
every spot where it was possible to thrust a plant among 
the rocks. These vines have been planted with great 
labour, as there is scarcely soil enough to cover their 
roots ; and terraces have been formed by small walls of 
dry stone, to prevent the little there is from being washed 
away. The vines were all pruned down to one or two 
knots on each mother branch, and each vine had from 
three to six or seven shoots, in proportion to their 
strength. Those among the rocks were in general very 
stinted, and must bear a very small crop. The olives, 
which they were now employed in gathering, were a 
small black variety, and I could not observe that they 
had suffered in the same manner as the olives of An- 
dalusia. 

Monday^ \^th November. — Having yesterday been 
permitted to land, I spent last night in the Posada, 



CATALONIA. 



63 



at Rosas, and proceeded this morning to Figueras, in 
order to join the diligence, which passes to-tnorrow 
morning for Perpignan. — This country, though far from 
being naturally so rich, is in a much higher state of culti- 
vation, and proportionally more productive than the 
south. Passing through the town I observed them carry- 
ing out from a cellar the refuse of a fermenting vat, and 
on entering I found they had just been pressing the 
skins, which had fermented with the wine. — Outside the 
cellar were two presses, each on wheels. These were 
composed of a box 2i feet long, and about the same 
width and depth, formed by light bars, with stronger 
bars at the corners. Before and behind these boxes was 
a screw, and there was a spout to convey to a vessel, 
placed below, the must which would flow through the 
bars to the bottom on the pressure being applied. It 
was evident that these were itinerant presses, which the 
proprietor was accustomed to send to the different vine- 
yards as they were required. I found also that he had a 
more powerful press within the cellar, and that there 
also was a mill for grinding olives, much superior to the 
one I had seen at the Marquis del Arco Hermoso''s. 
The basin of the mill consisted of an immense piece of 
granite formed into a circle, and hollowed out in a 
sloping direction, leaving a space level at the bottom 
considerably greater than was required for the vertical 
stone to turn upon, as upon a pivot; and attached to 
the vertical stone was a sort of scoop, which collected the 
scattered olives into the line which it passed over. 

Tuesday^ 15th November. — This morning at 9 o'clock 
I took my seat in the coupe of the diligence, for Per- 
pignan. I found here an Englishman who w^s returning 
from an excursion to Madrid and Barcelona. The road 



64 



CATALONIA. 



passed through a valley in the direction of the Pyrenees, 
the soil everywhere cultivated like a garden. Here were 
immense numbers of olive trees of a very large size, 
underneath which grain crops are cultivated. Some of 
the wheat has almost covered the ground, but in general 
it is just making its appearance, and in many places the 
plough is still at work. On the hills the vines are culti- 
vated in terraces, and not a spot is left unoccupied. 
Adjoining the road over the Pyrenees are everywhere to 
be seen the marks of the greatest industry— not a spot 
which is capable of cultivation is left untouched, and the 
mountain scenery is sometimes beautifully diversified by 
dwellings surrounded with trees of every kind, and en- 
livened by the verdure with which the mountain stream 
has covered its banks. The hills themselves are entirely 
destitute of herbage. After passing the town of La 
Jonquiere on the French side, the ground (although evi- 
dently of a very meagre quality) appeared generally cul- 
tivated with vines and corn. The vines appeared every- 
where to be cultivated with great care. I remarked 
some new plantations; and, in one instance, a plantation 
of the preceding year had made so little progress that I 
could scarcely persuade myself the vines were not the 
cuttings of the present year newly planted, with some of 
the leaves still remaining upon them. On questioning 
the postilion as to this point, he said that the plantation 
had two years^ but the ground here was so very arid the 
vines made little progress. 

Wednesday, 16th November. — Having called at the 
banking-house of Messrs. Durand, who are agents for 
Herries, Farquhar, and Co.'s notes, I took occasion to 
mention to one of these gentlemen the object with which 
I was travelling, and to ask his advice as to the best 



PERPIGNAN. 



65 



mode of seeing the vinej'ards near Perpignan. He said I 
could not have inquired of persons more competent to 
give me information ; that they had considerable agri- 
cultural establishments in the neighbourhood, and if I 
and my friend (the gentleman with whom I had travelled 
from Figueras) would accompany them the next day, 
they would be glad to give us every information in 
their power. After accepting this very liberal offer, with 
due expressions of thankfulness, I mentioned that I had 
heard of their eminence as agriculturists, and had I 
gone to Marseilles in the first instance, I intended to 
have procured an introduction to them. He replied that 
it was unnecessary ; that if we were agriculturists we were 
their friends — that all agriculturists were their friends. 
It was accordingly arranged that we should accompany 
them the next morning in their carriage. 

Thursday^ 17th November. — Mr. Durand having re- 
commended our starting at six in the morning as the days 
were short, and we had more than one place to visit, we 
proceeded to their house at day-break. Both the brothers 
accompanied us. When we got clear of the walls of 
Perpignan, it was sufficiently light to enable us to make 
some observations as we passed. The olive is cultivated 
to a great extent on all sides. Mr. Durand knows only 
one variety, a large black sort, not so large as the la 
Reyna of Seville, but about as large as the largest of the 
other sorts cultivated there. Here, as elsewhere, the 
olive has this season been attacked by a worm, but it is 
attributed rather to a deficiency than an excess of rain. 
The rain has this season been below the average in this 
district, and the country has suffered a good deal in con- 
sequence. The average annual produce of olive trees 
throughout the country is from 15 to 20 pounds of oil, 



66 



VINEYARDS AND WINES 



but there is every possible variety. A very fine olive, in 
a favourable year, will sometimes yield as much as 80 
pounds. Such a misfortune as has happened this season 
is of rare occurrence. In planting they take a sucker 
from the root of an old tree, and keep it three years in a 
nursery ; it is then transplanted, and in three years more 
it begins to give a few olives. In ten years it has become 
a largish tree, but requires many more years before it 
acquire all the magnitude it is capable of reaching. 
Many of the olives we passed had the greatest possible 
appearance of old age. They were so old, Mr, Durand 
said, that no one had any knowledge of their age. In 
general, the ground underneath was cultivated with grain 
crops; the trees are benefited by the manure, and the 
crop suffers only partially from the shade. We saw, 
however, some very fine trees planted from 30 to 35 feet 
apart, which overshadowed the ground so much, that 
grain crops could not be cultivated under them with 
advantage. 

After a drive of about an hour and a quarter, we 
arrived at the first of Messrs. Durand's establishments. 
This is an immense square inclosure, with high walls and 
buildings. It formerly belonged to the Knights Templars. 
The church is converted to a wine-cellar, and the houses 
of the Templars to the residences of Messrs. Durand's 
peasants. Several other buildings are also erected within 
the walls, forming altogether a most complete and exten- 
sive homestead. After taking chocolate we proceeded to 
the vineyards. Mr. Durand only cultivates three varieties 
of vines, the Grenache, which gives sweetness, the Carig- 
nan, which gives colour, and the Mataro, which gives 
quantity. His vines are in general planted either on the 
plain, or on a gently inclined slope ; but when there is a 



OF ROUSILLON. 



67 



slope the exposure is always to the south. The soil is 
loose and stony, the stones quartz^ of various colours and 
shades. 

The stony and least fertile portions of the estate are se- 
lected for vines. Some of the corn fields are planted at 
wide intervals with olive trees, but there are none of these 
among the vines. The distance at which the vines are 
planted is always four feet, and the quincunx is preserved 
with the greatest possible exactness. The ground is 
ploughed twice a year; that is^ immediately after the 
pruning, which is now going on, and in spring, after the 
vines have given shoots of eight or ten inches in length. 
On both occasions it is first ploughed in one direction, 
and then cross-ploughed. It receives no other labours 
during the year, and in summer, such is the strength of 
vegetation generally among the vines, that few weeds 
make their appearance, the ground being almost covered 
with the vine shoots. I was much surprised on finding 
that, with the exception of one field, the only preparation 
the ground had received previous to having been planted 
was a common ploughing. The cuttings were then put 
down in holes made by an iron bar or dibble, and left to 
shift for themselves. Many of them, as might be ex- 
pected under such treatment, never came forward, and it 
requires six years before the vineyard is so well established 
as to yield a crop. 

On learning this I had no difficulty in accounting for 
the small progress of the vines I had seen before arriving 
at Perpignan. There was a plantation of the Muscat of 
Frontignan, which was now six years old, but in much 
greater vigour, and with a much greater number of shoots 
on the vines than was usual. Having remarked this, Mr. 
Durand informed me, that in planting this field he had 



68 



VINEYARDS AND WINES 



caused a hole to be dug for each plant 18 inches deep, by 
18 inches long, and 12 wide, and had laid the cuttings 
horizontally into this trench, bending up the extremity 
where the plant was to grow. This, he said, accounted 
for the greater number of shoots from the greater quantity 
of roots. The produce, he said, was double what the 
ordinary vineyards yielded. The stocks are all extremely 
low, not more, in general, than six inches from theground; 
but so well has the pruning been managed, that all the 
shoots are nearly vertical — stakes or props are thus quite 
unnecessary, and are never used. Indeed, their use seems 
to be quite unknown throughout this district. The num- 
ber of the buds or knots left in pruning was from three to 
six, according to the strength of the plant. They are uni- 
versally pruned in the spur fashion. Having mentioned 
the system of alternate long and spur shoots, Mr. Durand's 
steward, who seemed to be a very respectable and well- 
informed man, said that it would sooner wear out the 
plants. I told him of the precaution Mr. Domecq, of 
Xeres, intended to adopt in order to prevent the attacks of 
worms. He said, that however close the branch might be 
pruned, there was no danger of these worms finding their 
way to the heart of the stock unless the stock itself were 
bruised or broken. It was, he said, by wounds or splits 
in the stock itself that the worms found access to it, and 
not by close pruning of the new wood. In this opinion I 
perfectly coincide with him. There are no worms in any 
of their vines, which are, indeed, all in the highest pos- 
sible order. 

The average produce of these vines is six barriques 
(hogsheads) per hectare; this is about 140 gallons per 
English acre ; a much smaller produce than I would have 
expected from the general health and vigour of the vine?, 



OF ROUSILLON. 



69 



although it still continues a matter of surprise that they 
should produce at all, considering the great hardness of 
the subsoil, and the slight hold of it which is originally 
given them. Part of the vineyard had already been pruned, 
and two men were busy in apart which we visited., There 
had been fourteen men employed the day before ; but this 
was the fite day of the neighbouring village, and only two 
of the men had come. It requires a man ten days to 
prune a hectare. The instrument which they use is con- 
trived to give, in some degree, the purchase of a lever. 

With the edge A they cut with great 
care the shoots where a bud is left for 
the following season ; but the superfluous 
shoots are chopped off with the blunt edge 
B with very little ceremony. I took this 
opportunity to request that Mr. Durand would give me 
a parcel of cuttings of all the kinds of vines he possessed ; 
and he immediately gave orders to his steward accordingly. 

Between twelve and one o'^clock we returned to the 
house, and after a substantial dejeuner a la fourchette^ 
visited the wine-cellar. Along the wall, on each side of 
the cellar, are arranged a number of large vats, containing 
from thirty to fifty barriques — that is, from 1800 to 3000 
gallons each ; the whole number was fourteen or sixteen. 
They were placed horizontally, with one end to the wall. 
Above them, on each side, is a floor or platform, which is 
on a level with a door that opens to the cellar from a 
higher side ; by this door the grapes are brought in. On 
the platform are several troughs, about 10 feet long, by 
^7 feet wide, with the side sloping inwards. Above the 
bottom of the trough there is a false bottom, perforated 
with holes, and divided by open spaces, which allow the 
hquid to pass to the true bottom, whence it flows, by a 




70 AGRICULTURE OF 

spout at one end, into an aperture of about a foot square 
in the upper side of the vat underneath. While the men 
are treading the grapes in these troughs, they take out a 
portion of the stalks by means of a three-pronged stick, 
and after the grapes are pretty well broken, the whole 
contents of the trough are emptied into the vat. In the 
vat it is left to ferment, from eighteen to twenty-four days, 
according to circumstances, and at the end of that period, 
the wine is drawn off to another vat, by means of a siphon 
and a pump. The marc^ or skins and grounds, are then 
removed to the press, and the wine extracted from them 
is kept apart as being of inferior quality. In the end of 
each vat there is an aperture sufficiently large for a man 
to enter and clean it out. This is strongly secured by 
means of copper screws. After having been removed to 
a clean vat, the wine is kept in it till the following spring, 
when it is again drawn off the lees. When twelve months 
old, it is sent to Port Vendre, where Mr. Durand has very 
extensive stores and cellars ; it is there mixed with 10 per 
cent, of brandy, and shipped for Paris. This is the .or- 
dinary description of Rousillon* wine, of the plain ; but 
being made with more care than that of the smaller pro- 
prietors, it is the best of its kind. The wine of the hills 
is of a better quality. 

Exclusive of the ploughing, which is done by their 
permanent servants, the management of the vines costs 
about thirty francs a hectare. The ploughing and the 
vintage may cost fifteen francs more — being, in all, about 
16s. an English acre. The value of the produce is from 
15 to 18 francs a charge of 26 English gallons; or from 



* Roussillon is the old name of the province which is now called 
" Pyrenees Orientales." 



ROUSILLON. 



71 



180 to 216 francs per hectare — that is, from £3 4^. to 
o£'4 16s. per English acre. 

After having walked into the garden, which was well 
stocked with fruit trees, we proceeded to the other pro- 
perty which Messrs. Durand proposed we should visit. 
This was entirely an irrigated farm. It consists of 240 
hectares, 562 acres, and every acre of it can be laid under 
water when irrigation is required. This farm supports 
between 1,000 and 1,100 sheep, 114 head of cattle, and 
about a dozen horses, and there is always less than two- 
fifths of the land in pasture or green crops. The lucerne 
is cut five times in the season, and twice eaten down. The 
soil is a fine friable mould. In a field, where five ploughs 
were at work, it turned up in the finest possible condition. 
They were ploughing i?i wheat. Part of the field was 
manured, and part had been manured the preceding 
season. Messrs. Durand have an excellent breed of 
cattle. The working oxen as fine almost as any I have 
ever seen, although I have seen larger. In all the 
qualifications of depth and breadth of carcase, they were 
nearly perfect, with the line of the back perfectly straight, 
and the tail well set on. They were yoked with bows 
and yokes, the bows made of wood, which seemed to 
answer very well. The ploughs and carts were of the 
same construction as those generally in use in the 
country. The ploughman drove his pair of oxen with a 
goad fixed to the end of a long pole ; on the other end 
of which was the small spade for cleaning the plough. 
They seemed to make excellent work, notwithstanding 
the rudeness of the plough. 

The buildings on this farm were very extensive, and 
though old, are now undergoing a thorough repair, which 
will leave them in excellent condition when completed. 



72 AGRICULTURE 

The stables and sheep-houses are very spacious, as both 
cattle and sheep are housed every night. The lambs 
are always kept in the house, and the ewes are brought 
home to them three times a day. The lambs appeared 
all of the same size, and must all have been dropped 
within two or three days of each other. The wool was 
not of a quality that would be reckoned fine in New 
South Wales; and yet, Mr. Durand says, there is 
nothing finer in this part of the country. At the rate wools 
were selling in August this year (1831), it would bring, 
in London, about I8d. a pound. It is at present only 
worth about Kid. here, though two years ago it sold for 
20d. A good wether will bring 10^. or 12s. They do 
not milk the cows, but allow the calves to suck them. 
There is no such thing known in this country as a dairy 
farm. Oil is the almost universal substitute for every 
purpose to which butter is applied with us, and milk is 
seldom or never used. There are, perhaps, few pre- 
judices stronger than that of the English against the 
general use of oil, which they are accustomed to consider 
as a very gross kind of condiment ; and perhaps there 
is no prejudice more unfounded. For surely the pure 
vegetable juice of the olive is far from being inferior, in 
delicacy, to butter, the animal fat of the cow ; and there 
can be no doubt, that oil is also more wholesome and 
congenial to the human constitution, in a hot climate, 
than the latter. This district is not celebrated for the 
quality of its oil, but they do not, as in Spain, consider 
rancidity a merit ; and in the hotels it is furnished of 
very good quality, while the olives are quite delicious. 
Mr. Durand's working oxen are fed during the winter on 
hay of excellent quality, and are all in the highest con- 
dition. They have also potatoes, and sometimes turnips 



or UOUSILLON. 7S 

in winter. One set is worked from morning till noon, 
another set from noon till evening. I neglected to in- 
quire what the average produce of wheat is on this farm ; 
but on the farm first visited, where there was no irri- 
gation, it was sixteen or seventeen bushels per English 
acre. The workmen are paid extremely well. The per- 
manent servants of the farm have 150 francs, about £6 
a year, in money; 6 hectolitres (21^ English bushels) of 
wheat; 500 litres (120 gallons) of wine; 40 pounds of 
oil, and 20 pounds of salt, besides a piece of ground to 
plant vegetables and haricots (the great dependence of 
the working people here), and house room about the 
premises. The peasants, and their wives and children 
are all extremely well clothed. Day labourers, at all 
seasons, receive 30 sous, about 14d a day. In the 
harvest, mowers and sheep-shearers, 2~ francs, and reap- 
ers two francs per day, besides their food ; and Mr. 
Durand says, they make six meals a day at that time, 
and the quantity of food they consume is almost incredi- 
ble. About sunset we reached Perpignan, from which 
the last farm was three leagues distant, highly gratified 
with our excursion, and the kindness of our entertainers, 
who, to wind up their attentions for the day, had invited 
us to dine, and we now found a sumptuous dinner wait- 
ing our arrival. 

Friday^ I8th. — Messrs. Durand had been kind enough 
to say that they would give me a letter to their manager 
at Port Vendre, where they have a large establishment 
for shipping wines. I waited upon them to-day, and 
found it ready. Port Vendre is only about half a league 
from CoUioure, which I had resolved to visit, as its envi- 
rons produce the first quality of Rousillon red wine. At 
two o'clock I accordingly took my place in the diligence, 



74 



COLLIOURE AND 



and arrived at about seven at Collioure, where I stopped 
for the night. -From Perpignan in this direction (south- 
east) the soil is richer than I have elsewhere observed it 
in the neighbourhood of Perpignan. Though there is 
here and there a vineyard, the land is generally under 
corn or meadow. Two or three miles before reaching 
Collioure the country begins to ascend towards the Pyre- 
nees, on the tops of which, bordering the ocean, are still 
to be seen some towers built by the Moors when masters 
of this part of the country. No sooner do the hilis begin 
to rise than the cultivation of the vine begins also, and 
the first ranges of the mountains are covered with it to 
their very tops. 

Saturday, Idtli. — After breakfast this morning I walked 
over to Port Vendre, and waited upon Mr. Mas, the 
agent of Messrs. Durand. The road from Colhoure 
winds from hill to hill along the shore. The hills are 
exactly similar in form and structure to those of Malaga : 
a shale or schist, with a slaty gravel, plentifully mixed 
through the soil. Mr. Mas conducted me over the hills 
in the neighbourhood of the town, which are planted 
wdth great regularity and beauty in terraces from 6 to 18 
feet wide, according to the slope of the hill. The ter- 
races are made to follow the different curves taken by the 
hills, and are divided by channels to allow of the passage 
of the water. It is a stated part of the labour to carry 
up the soil from the lower part of the terrace, wheiyt it 
has been stopped by the small stone walls, to the higher 
part. 

In planting these hills they break up the ground only 
to the depth of eight or nine inches, and as they take out 
a great number of stones, the depth of the soil remaining 
is not more than six inches. They then bore a hole in the 



PORT VEXDRE. 



75 



loose rock with a bar of iron, and thrust in the plant to 
the depth of 12 or 15 inches. I saw a plantation of the 
preceding year where almost every plant had succeeded, 
although none of them had given shoots of more than six 
or eight inches. Mr. Mas says it was formerly the prac- 
tice in this country to trench and break up the rock to 
the depth of two or three feet, but (strange to say) they 
found the vines were sooner worn out, and they now fol- 
low the less expensive method. A hectare of middle 
aged vines is here worth 1,000 francs. The greatest ex- 
pense is in the first plantation, for it is universally neces- 
sary to build a series of terraces to support the soil. The 
value of a hectare with a good exposure, before planting, 
is 500 francs. There is, however, little ground in this 
neighbourhood remaining to be planted, although the 
greatest portion has been brought into cultivation within 
the last 15 or 20 years. The average produce, according 
to Mr. Mas, does not exceed six charges the hectare, 
which is just the half of the vines of the plain. The 
annual expense of cultivation, including the vintage, is 
40 francs, but the wine is worth 28 to 30 francs a charge, 
or from 168 to 180 francs the hectare. The distance of 
the plants is from three to four feet, and the pruning is 
in every respect similar to that of the vines of the plain. 
The varieties chiefly cultivated are the Grenache and the 
Carignan. The vines are never manured. The wine 
sometimes remains in the fermenting vat so long as SO 
days. Like the wine of the plain, it is seldom drank in 
its pure state, but is sent to Paris, with an addition of 
from 7^ to 10 per cent, of brandy, in order to be mixed 
with the lighter wines of Burgundy and Orleans, to give 
them strength and colour. The mixture of the brandy 
has, they say, a double purpose. It enables them to ship 
E 2 



76 PERPIGNAN AND , 

the wines when 14 or 15 months old, without risk of their 
turning sour, which could not be done for twelve months 
more without the admixture ; and it enables the Parisians 
to mix a portion of water in order to reduce the wine in 
strength, and thus to save a part of the municipal duty 
which is levied on wines entering Paris. The latter is, I 
think, the only valid argument. Being desirous of pro- 
curing some of the wine of Collioure, Mr. Mas sent a 
person with me whom he was accustomed to employ in 
such matters, and after completing my purchase, I went 
with the proprietor to the vineyard where it was pro- 
duced, and obtained four varieties of grapes which were 
not in Mr. Durand's vineyards. This vineyard was on 
the side of a very steep hill, and appeared to have been 
planted with great labour ; the terraces did not exceed 
from eight to ten feet in width, and the walls were from 
two to three feet in height. He said the annual average 
from 500 plants was about two charges of wine.. This, 
according to the distance they were planted, was rather 
more than double the quantity stated by Mr. Mas ; but 
it was probably only a guess, although I am inclined to 
think the estimate of the latter was under the truth. 
There was, however, no way of coming nearer the true 
state of the case, for he knew neither the extent of the 
hectare, nor of the arpent. The wine of Cosperon, which 
is celebrated as a Vin de Liqueur, is the produce of a farm 
which was pointed out to me by Mr. Mas, under one of 
the hills which we passed over. It is, according to his 
account, nothing more than a mixture of brandy with the 
unfermented juice of the grape. After the grapes (of the 
Grenache kind) are very ripe, they are gathered and al- 
lowed to dry a few days in the sun ; they are then pressed, 
and the juice is put into a cask, where it is mixed with a 



ITS ENVIRONS. 77 

large portion, Mr. Mas thinks from a third to a half of 
its own bulk, of brandy. The brandy prevents the fer- 
mentation, the liquor retains the sweetness and flavour 
of the fruit, and this is the Vin de Liqiieur of Cosperon, 
which has acquired a great name in the south of France. 

Monday^ 9,\st November . — Having returned early yes- 
terday morning from Collioure to Perpignan, I found 
the Messrs. Durand had sent to my hotel 9 bundles, con- 
taining 50 each, of nine distinct varieties of vines, and on 
visiting them at their house, I was again pressed to dine 
with them, but on this occasion excused myself. The 
kindness and attention of these gentlemen to me, a perfect 
stranger, without the slightest claim to their notice, is 
worthy of remark. They are the sons of Mr. Durand, 
the Deputy for the Province, and are now managing his 
affairs in his absence. Their mercantile as well as their 
agricultural concerns are of great magnitude. The latter 
they informed me yielded only about 5 per cent, upon the 
money invested, but they made no allowance for the value 
of the improvements, which were very extensive. Besides 
the properties I visited with them, the one consisting of 
700, and the other of 560 acres, they had two other 
estates in the neighbourhood of Perpignan, and all in 
their own hands. The irrigated land is worth 1500 francs, 
about 60/. per hectare, the vineyards not more in general 
than one-third of that sum ; but that proportion was, I 
believe, intended to represent the value of the land before 
planting. On one of the estates there is a handsome 
mansion, with extensive gardens, and a green-house. I 
was happy to promise that I would, in return for their 
attention to me, contribute to stock the latter by sending 
a packet of Botany Bay seeds, a present which I was 



78 



RIVESALTES. 



glad to find would be highly agreeable to one of the 
brothers, who has a taste for horticulture and botany. 

After having engaged my place in the diligence for 
Montpelier (which was to start at seven in the evening)? 
I procured a guide, and proceeded to visit Rivesaltes, 
which is famous for producing the first sweet wine of 
France. Rivesaltes is a town containing about 3000 in- 
habitants, situated in the middle of an irrigated plain, 
about four miles from Perpignan. The vineyards are on 
the extremities of the plain, where there is a dry granitic 
soil ; and on that portion which separates the meadow 
land of Perpignan from those of Rivesaltes, it is so thickly 
covered with stones of various coloured quartz as to make 
it difficult to tread upon it. In many places where the 
vines appear to grow with great vigour, and to have at- 
tained a great age, the soil is of such a nature as would 
with us be considered absolutely sterile. They were 
very generally engaged in the vineyards in pruning and 
hoeing. The pruning was here, as elsewhere, universally 
in the spur fashion ; from 3 to 7 or 8 knots being left on 
each vine, according to its strength. The stocks were in 
general close to the ground, and, indeed, where the soil 
was newly dug up, and gathered up into the form of a 
small ridge between the rows of plants, they scarcely 
seemed to be upon a level with it. I examined a plan- 
tation of young vines which had been planted last year, 
and found that more than one-half the number had failed. 
Here also they never think of trenching the soil before 
planting; but after hoeing it the ordinary depth, they 
make a hole with an iron dibble and thrust in the plant. 
As they never afterwards take the trouble to water them, 
it is not surprising that in so dry a soil so large a proper^ 



RIVESALTES. 



79 



tion of the cuttings should never take root. At RivesalteSj 
for the first time in France, I observed them manuring 
their vines with strong stable dung, and I was informed 
that this was the usual practice here, although Messrs. 
Durand never used manure to their vines. The Muscat 
is the grape commonly cultivated, and by visiting different 
parties who were engaged in pruning, I obtained a few 
cuttings of this, and three other sorts ; two of these four 
were entirely new to me — of two of them I had procured 
two or three cuttings each at Collioure. 

The Muscat wine of Rivesaltes is made in the following 
manner : — The grapes are allowed to hang upon the vines 
till they are so ripe that they begin to shrivel; they are 
then cut and left on the ground under the vines where 
they grew, for eight or ten days, unless the weather should 
prove unfavourable, after which they are pressed, and the 
juice is put into a cask, leaving the bung out; about a 
month after this, it is drawn off to a fresh cask, which is 
prepared by burning a match, not of sulphur, but of 
strong brown paper, steeped in the strongest brandy. 
They use this, they say, because the sulphur tastes the 
wine. The Muscat wine of Rivesaltes sometimes brings 
the proprietor 300 francs the charge of 118 litres (bot- 
tles), when it is only from one to two years old. The 
produce of the vineyards of Rivesaltes was stated by the 
small proprietors, from whom I obtained the cuttings, to 
be about two charges for every 500 stocks, exactly the 
same as was stated by the person from whom I bought 
the wine at Collioure. I consider them both, however, 
as a very wide guess, for it was evident neither of them 
had been accustomed to reckon the produce in this way, 
and they neither knew the extent of the hectare, nor of 
the arpent. Many of the vines here seemed to require 



80 



ROYAL haras; OR 



renewal, I would have been inclined to say owing to the 
quality of the soil, had I not seen the excellent condition 
in which Messrs. Durand's vines were kept in soil, which 
was in some places not less stony and arid. 

In filhng a vacant space, when they cannot find a shoot 
on any of the neighbouring vines long enough to reach 
the spot, they take the longest shoot there is, and lay it 
in a circular form round its own stock ; the following year 
they raise it, when, with the shoot it has produced, thev 
can not only reach the spot to be filled, but have by this 
means a strong plant to fill it. 

While noting above the use of a match with brandv 
instead of sulphur, there has occurred to my memory an 
observation stated by Mr. Mas, in reply to my question, 
whether they did not find the burnino^ of sulphur in the 
cask to taste the wine ? He stated that when this oc- 
curred it must be owing to a small quantity of water 
having been left in the cask when cleaned. "When this 
was the case, the wine, he said, was sure to be tasted, 
because the sulphuric acid impregnated the water ; but 
when every drop of water was carefully drained off 
before the cask was smoked, it never occurred. 

I returned to Perpignan about four o'clock, and began 
to ticket the different bundles of vines, taking only 25 of 
each of the varieties sent by j\Ir. Durand, on account of 
their great bulk. This, and other little matters which 
required arrangement, occupied me so fully, that I for- 
got to send for my passport till it was too late to procure 
it for the diligence that night. 

Tuesday, 9,9.nd November. — j\Iy delay for another day 
in Perpignan allowed me to visit the Bergerie Ro2/ale, 
where the government keep a flock of Merino sheep for 
the improvement of the flocks of the district. As 'Mr. 



DEPOT OF STALLIONS. 81 

Durand had assured me that it was not worth my atten- 
tion, I had given up thoughts of visiting this establish- 
ment previously, but on now applying to my landlord for 
a horse, he told me that before arriving at the Bergerie, 
I would come to the Royal Haras, or depot of stallions 
for the south. At less than a league from Perpignan, I 
accordingly came to the house and offices which had been 
described to me as this depot, and on riding into the yard, 
I was conducted by a groom to the stable. There are 
here 31 horses, kept by the government for the purpose of 
improving the breed in this part of France. They are 
chiefly cross-bred, and I remarked several very beautiful 
animals which were a cross between the Arab and the 
Limousin. There was a small dark brown Arab from St. 
John dAcre, and next to him a thorough-bred Arab, 
produced in France. The latter was incomparably the 
finer animal, in many points resembling old Models of 
New South Wales, but I think inferior to him. There 
was also the Jennet of Andalusia, and a number of Fle- 
mish horses, both pure and crossed with various other 
breeds. The Russian and Polish breeds had also their 
representatives on this side of the stable. On the other 
side were the breeds of Normandy, and an immense 
animal from Mecklenburgh, for improving, as they said, 
the working breeds. Of this kind there were three huge 
horses, which appeared to me ill proportioned to such a 
degree as to be almost monstrous. Further on was a 
splendid English racer, though with more bone and 
muscle than the horses bred for the turf usually possess. 
This horse stood higher than any other horse in the col- 
lection ; he is named Rembrandt, and was purchased by 
the French government from lord Seymour, at Paris, 
where he had distinguished himself upon the turf, and 

E 3 



82 



DEPOT OF STALLIONS. 



had been the winner of large sums. There was also an 
English horse of the httle Coh breed, and between these 
stood some very fine saddle horses of the pure breed (I 
think) of Limousin. The charge made by the French 
government for the service of any of these horses is only 
six francs for each mare. They travel to the distance of 
from 30 to 40 leagues, and find their chief employment 
in the department of Arriege. Here there are few horses 
bred, the work being chiefly performed by oxen and mules, 
and the ass still maintaining its ground, though not to such 
an extent as beyond the Pyrenees. The services of each 
horse are limited to 45 mares, but notwithstanding the 
extreme cheapness of the charge, and the extensive dis- 
trict over which they travel, scarcely one of the horses 
covers this number during the season. The horses are 
fed at all seasons with meadow hay and ground barley. 
From the terrace behind the stables there is a rich view 
of the plain to the north of Perpignan, terminated on two 
sides by the Basses Pyrennees, and on the third by the 
sea. It is said there is here an extent of land, 10 leagues 
in length by six in breadth, all of which can be regularly 
irrigated by means of small canals and water courses, 
which are cut in every direction. The distribution of 
the water is regulated by law. The old chateau of 
Rousillon, with its round tower, overlooks this beautiful 
plain. The habitations are still, for the most part, con- 
gregated in small towns and villages, but here and there 
a detached house is to be seen. The plain is covered 
with trees, which border the water courses in every 
direction. Among these the Lombardy poplar, only now 
assuming the tints of autumn, is conspicuous. Every 
field is separated by a row of trees, chiefly the willow. 
These, however, on a nearer approach, lose much of their 



EERGEHIE ROYALE. 



83 



beauty from the practice of cutting them down every 
third year for fuel, leaving only the trunk about 10 feet 
in height, with the stumps of the branches to produce 
fresh shoots. 

The plain of Perpignan offers as strong a contrast 
as possible to the (naturally) much richer plains of 
Andalusia. Much may be owing to the difference of 
climate, and the greater facilities for irrigation ; but 
much more is owing to the difference in the political 
institutions of the respective countries. The absurd 
law of Spain, which prevents the enclosure of corn or 
meadow land, strikes at the root of all agricultural im- 
provement. 

On arriving at the bergerie, which is a shabby-looking 
cluster of old houses in bad repair, I was informed that 
the sheep were out at pasture, and on following the 
directions given me I soon came up with them. There 
are 160 rams, and about 300 females Their wool is 
certainly much liner than any I had seen at Mr, Durand's, 
but still there are few of our sheepholders in New South 
Wales who could not show finer sheep in their flocks than 
the generality of them. The government make an annual 
sale of these sheep. The minimum price for the rams is 
60, and for the ewes 40 francs. A very few of those 
offered sometimes go off at much higher prices, but the 
demand is not nearly sufficient to take off' those that are 
disposable at the minimum price, I saw amongst them a 
Saxon ram, which had cost the government 600 francs. 
Running with the rams were a male and two females of 
the goats of Cashmere; the male was a very large animal, 
with long white hair ; the females under the size of an 
ordinary goat, but they were both very young, the one 
being 18 and the other only 7 months old. They breed 



84 



MONTPELIER. 



when under 12 months, the youngest of the two being 
expected to produce a kid in four months. After they 
are three years old, the shepherd said (if I understood 
him right, which was no easy matter, from his Catalan 
dialect), that they produce four kids annually. The fine 
Cashmere wool is produced under the hair, and is combed 
out in the month of May. The large male, they said, 
yielded from five to six ounces, and the females only two 
ounces a piece. The government, the shepherd informed 
me, possess 150 of these animals, which were formerly all 
here, but, with the exception of the three which I saw, 
they were removed to the interior. — They were brought 
from Persia by a gentleman of Paris, who started with a 
flock of 1,600, only 150 of which he succeeded in bring- 
ing to France. They were purchased by the government 
at the price of 3,000 francs a head, and their produce w^ere 
for some time offered for sale in this department, but 
found no purchasers. The price I either did not hear, 
or do not recollect. 

Wednesday, 2Srd. — Last evening, at seven o'clock, I 
took my place in the diligence, the director having freely 
agreed to take me without any additional charge, and at 
seven this evening I arrived at Montpelier. In going 
into Beziers about nine o'clock this morning, I observed 
hoar frost upon the grass where the sun's rays had not 
penetrated. The whole country from Beziers to Mont- 
pelier, on both sides of the road, is covered with vineyards. 
Between the former town and Penzenas the country is 
extremely beautiful even at this season. The hills are 
covered with olive trees, intermixed with vines, but the 
plains with vines only. Detached habitations are every 
where thickly scattered over the country. The vine is 
cultivated even in the alluvial plains, and the immense 



BOTANIC GARDEN. 



85 



size of some of the stocks, with the vigour of their 
numerous shoots, affords ample evidence that whatever 
may be the quahty of its produce, the plant itself is no 
enemy to a rich soil. Notwithstanding the apparent 
richness of the soil, I observed them every where digging 
in large quantities of dung, and this, as w^ell as the mode 
of pruning, indicated that they were more anxious for the 
quantity than the quality of the produce. The wines of 
this district are almost universally converted into brandy. 
The soil had the appearance of being calcareous the whole 
way from Beziers to Montpelier, in some places almost 
resembling the albarizas of Xeres, but on trial I found it 
argillaceous. 

Notwithstanding the great luxuriance of the vines, and 
the strength and length of their shoots, still no supports 
nor props were used. Here and there I observed the 
shoots of three neighbouring vines tied together to afford 
each other support, but even this practice was rare com- 
pared to the whole, which are allowed to spread as they 
will, and cover the ground in such profusion as to make 
it in most places difficult to penetrate amongst them. 

Thursday, 24th. — I this morning proceeded to the 
Botanic Garden, in the hope of finding some one who 
would give me information of the nature I required. My 
expectations w^ere also a good deal excited by having 
heard from an Englishman whom I met at breakfast, that 
the Professor of Botany had there a collection of vines. I 
was not long in discovering this collection, which was 
numbered up to 560 varieties. I did not hesitate a mo- 
ment to inquire for the Professor, and to make known to 
him the object of my visit. He received me with great 
kindness, and asked many questions respecting the Aus- 
tralian settlements, in which he appeared to take a great 



86 



MONTPELIER. 



deal of interest. He conducted me over the gardens, and 
through the conservatories, pointing out every object 
Vi^hich he thought would interest me. The latter are very 
extensive, and in the most perfect order. Among other 
plants he made me remark the Galactodendron, the tree 
of the Cow, or Milk tree," of Humboldt, which he said 
would undoubtedly grow in New South Wales. He also 
pointed out, growing in the open air, the Carouhier of 
Spain, the Ceratonia Siliqua of Linnjeus, that yields a 
pod, upon which the mules are almost exclusively fed in 
the mountainous districts of Spain, and the south of 
Italy. This tree I had not so much as heard of. There 
was a small department separate for New South Wales 
plants, of which there was a considerable number. Finally, 
Professor Delisle told me, that I was not only welcome to 
cuttings of all the vines he had, but he offered me his 
correspondence for any thing he could in future supply. 
He also said, he would make up a packet of seeds for our 
Botanic Garden. In return for such liberality, I did not 
hesitate to pledge myself to make him whatever returns 
our Botanic Garden could supply. He accordingly called 
for the catalogue of vines, which was partly printed, being 
a copy of the list of the Ecolc of vines established in the 
Gardens of the Luxemburg, at Paris, by Messrs. Chaptal 
and Bosc, when the former was Minister of the Interior. 
A great proportion of the numbers which had been left 
blank in the original, were filled up in writing. He gave 
directions that a copy of the list should be prepared for 
me, and that a man should attend me take the cuttings 
of the vines. I determined to take a duplicate of each 
variety. 

Saturday, 26th November. — Having ordered a quan- 
tity of leaden tickets to mark the cuttings, and a couple 



BOTANIC GARDEN. 87 

of cases to contain them, I proceeded to the garden yes- 
terday morning, and found that the man had already com- 
menced to take off the cuttings. On examining those he 
had taken, however, I immediately saw the necessity of 
making the choice for myself, and I have accordingly 
been engaged all yesterday and to-day in choosing the 
cuttings. This evening, by the assistance of a second 
man, who dressed the cuttings as they were taken off, 
we had finished this part of the task, and commenced 
attaching the numbers. 

Mondai/, 28th. — This day, at an early hour, I pro- 
ceeded to the garden, expecting to have all the vines 
numbered and packed before the evening. In this, how- 
ever I was disappointed. While the workmen were at 
dinner I spent an hour with the Professor, who shewed 
me his Herbarium, which appeared to me very extensive. 
Among others he opened out some New Holland plants, 
which had been collected by Laballardiere, the Botanist, 
who accompanied D'Entrecasteaux in his voyage. In 
reply to my enquiries respecting the history of the vines, 
the object to me of greatest i nterest, he informed me, that 
about 12 or 15 years ago, when Messrs. Chaptal and 
Bosc had formed the gardens of the Chartreuse, adjoining 
the gardens of the Luxemburg, into an experimental 
garden, specimens of the different varieties were also sent 
to the Botanic Garden of Montpelier, but many of these 
never succeeded. He told me that he had found it very 
difficult to obtain from the chief gardener at Paris the dif- 
ferent varieties which he required to fill up the vacancies 
occasioned by those which had failed; they always sent 
chasselaSi cliasselas, chasselas, though under different 
names. A great part of the collection had therefore been 
brought together by the Professor himself. Mr. Delisle 



88 



MONTPELIER. 



told me that there was a similar collection of vines at 
Versailles and there was also one at Genoa. 

All this day was employed in attaching the tickets to 
the vines, and arranging them in bundles, which, from 
many of them being very crooked, was no easy task. 
From the 560 varieties I could only make up 437, the 
remainder being either wanting in the original, or marked 
as identical with some previous number. I had also 
employed the master gardener to send a man, on whose 
judgment and honesty he could depend, to make a collec- 
tion of all the vines cultivated in the vineyards round 
Montpelier. This man had all his lifetime been employed 
in the vineyards, and as he gave me a description of the 
qualities of each, I had no doubt whatever that his col- 
lection might be depended upon. Rejecting from those 
he brought me, such varieties as I had previously pro- 
cured at Perpignan, I was now enabled to carry the 
collection of vines of Rousillon and Languedoc, or 
Pyrenees Orientales and Herault to 38. I here again 
reduced the number of Mr. Durand's vines, taking only 
IS of each of them, as well as of those cultivated in the 
neighbourhood of Montpelier. When I came to pay for 
their carriage from Montpelier to Nismes, I had no 
reason to regret this reduction. 

Wednesday/, 30th November. — It was half-past 10 this 
morning, when the packing of the vines was finished, 
and at 11 o'clock I started with them by the Diligence 
for Nismes. Before leaving the garden I paid a farewell 
visit to its liberal Director, Mr. Delisle. I now received 
from him a letter addressed to Mr. Frazer, the Colonial 
Botanist, at Sydney, and also one for myself. In both 
he expressed his wish to maintain a correspondence with 
Sydney, to reciprocate the exchange of seeds and plants. 



BOTANIC GARDEN. 89 

He also gave me an introductory note to M. Audibert, 
the proprietor of a very extensive and celebrated nursery 
at Tarascon, a small town situated on the left bank of 
the Rhone, which he strongly recommended me to visit. 
A fourth paper contained hints about the best mode of 
preserving the cuttings from frost and damp; but on 
that subject he recommended me particularly to consult 
M. Audibert. Mr. Delisle had also waiting for me, a 
packet of botanic seeds, which he had put up for the 
garden at Sydney ; and a packet of seeds of the more 
useful trees, &c. for myself. 

The Botanic Garden of Montpelier is only second in 
France to that of Paris. It appeared to me to be kept 
in very high order. 

The weather has now become piercingly cold. On 
Friday and Saturday I found it very unpleasantly so in 
the garden, but on Sunday evening a strong wind set in 
from the north, and next day all Montpelier was wrapt 
in cloaks. The sloping glass roofs and windows of the 
conservatories were now all covered with straw mats, 
which were not rolled up till the sun had attained a 
considerable height. 

The road from Montpelier to Nismes lies through a 
well cultivated country, producing chiefly vines and 
olives. The vines appear here to be cultivated for wine 
for the table more than for distillation. Their size and 
strength were less remarkable than on the other side of 
Montpelier, and although I saw several parties hoeing in 
the vineyards I could nowhere observe them digging in 
manure. Here for the first time I saw the mixed culti- 
vation of vines, olives, and corn, alternating in rows of 
different widths ; and the vineyards are also very gene- 
rally planted with olive trees. This seems to be the 



NISMES. 



season for gathering the fruit of the latter. They place 
large ladders against the trees and ascend to pull them^ 
instead of beating them down with poles, as is the prac- 
tice in Spain. The women are very generally employed 
in this way, and from all parts of the road are to be seen 
with small baskets slung round their necks, either perched 
upon a ladder, or mounted into the interior of the 
trees. Half-way from Montpelier to Nismes lies the 
town of Lunel, which with Frontignan, also in the same 
neighbourhood, is famous for its sweet wines. These I 
did not, however wait to visit, being now satisfied that 
whatever may be the case with regard to the quality of 
dry wines, it requires only a good grape, a hot sun, and 
a particular management, to make excellent sweet wines. 
A gentleman in the Diligence informed me that the Liinel 
is only produced on one estate, but in this I think he was 
misinformed. 

1st December. — The Diligence for Tarascon not start- 
ing till half-past eleven, I had time to visit many of the 
beautiful and highly interesting remains of Roman archi-- 
tecture which are to be found in Nismes. The cold, last 
night and this morning, has been excessive. I have 
seldom found any thing more keen and penetrating than 
the north wind out of doors, and the air of my chamber 
was almost intolerable till a large fire (for which the 
charge of two francs was made in my bill) had been some 
time burning. Even then, and with the assistance of a 
screen, it was still difficult to keep off the cold. The 
tiled floors are ill calculated for the winter, however suit- 
able they may be for the summer temperature of these 
climates. In the morning the canal was frozen over, and 
there were pieces of ice of six cubic inches in thickness 
about the fountains. 



NURSERY or TARASCON. ^1 

I arrived atTarascon about half-past two o'clock, and, 
having procured a guide, proceeded immediately to the 
nursery of the Messrs. Audibert, whom I found at home. 
The nursery is about a mile and half from the town. 
Messrs. Audibert expressed the greatest desire to be of 
service to me. One of the brothers conducted me 
through a great part of their nurseries, which are exten- 
sive and apparently very well kept. He also insisted 
that I should remain for the night, and made up a packet 
of every variety of seeds which they could imagine 
would be useful in New South Wales. The elder 
brother, M. Urban Audibert, is a corresponding Member 
of the Horticultural Society of London, and has, as M. 
Delisle informed me, a very extensive correspondence in 
all parts of Europe. His library is filled with books on 
all matters connected with rural economy and natural 
history, in all languages. I selected from their list of 
vines eight or ten varieties, whicli I either knew to be 
wanting in M. Delisle's collection, or conceived to be so 
valuable that I was glad of the opportunity of making 
still surer of possessing them. These, being rooted 
plants, will afford the proof whether they or the cuttings 
are more capable of bearing the transport to New South 
Wales. 

Having, according to the advice of M. Delisle, con- 
sulted Messrs. Audibert respecting the packing of the 
plants, he expressed his fear that without moss they 
would soon all die; for the north wind, he observed, 
caused dryness as much as the heat; his brother was 
accordingly kind enough to accompany me to the town, 
with a man who carried a bag of moss. The plants 
were unpacked, and the boxes lined with double oiled 
paper, to prevent the access of air, and the escape of 



92 



TARASCON. 



humidity. The moss, after having been slightly watered, 
was stuffed in at the ends of each bundle of plants. The 
latter were then replaced, and the cases closed. This is 
the mode adopted by Messrs. Audibert in sending vine 
plants to Russia, and other countries of Europe ; and 
they were of opinion that this would be sufficient to pro- 
tect the vines till their arrival within the tropics, when 
the warm weather would cause them to shoot, and it 
w^ould therefore become desirable to sustain the shoots a 
little by the admixture of earth or sand among the 
cuttings. 

Messrs. Audibert refused to receive any payment for 
the plants I had selected from their collection, although 
I insisted very strongly on paying the stated price, as 
well as for the time his workman was occupied. He 
furnished me with several copies of his catalogues, and 
as I had informed him there was an Agricultural and 
Horticultural Society in New South Wales, he expressed 
a strong desire to be put in communication with them. 
M. Audibert also furnished me with introductory letters 
to the Directors of the Botanic Garden, and of the 
Cabinet of Natural History at Marseilles. 

I concluded these matters in time to join the dihgence 
for Marseilles, which passed at half-past two, having, by 
Mr. Audibert's advice, forwarded the cases containing 
the plants to Avignon, there to wait my return to that 
town. 

I had several times endeavoured, but without success, 
to ascertain the best mode of pickling or preserving 
olives. Mr. Audibert told me he had no doubt the inn- 
keeper where I had left my baggage could inform me ; 
and I took down from his dictation the directions, of which 
the following is a translation. The olives which he pro- 



MARSEILLES. 93 

duced as preserved in this -way were of an inferior kind, 

but appeared very well cured. " To make a lye, 

take for each pound of olives a pound of ashes, and an 
ounce of lime ; boil these ingredients in water till the 
lye is neither too thick, nor too clear. 

When the flesh of the olives detaches itself easily 
from the stone;, which happens about six or seven hours 
after their immersion, the olives are washed with clear 
water, and left to steep for about nine days, the water 
being changed at least once every 24 hours. They are 
then kept in water, strongly charged with salt, and 
seasoned with a few grains of coriander seed, to give 
them a good taste." 

This recipe was scarcely finished at the moment it was 
necessary to join the Diligence, and I had not therefore 
time to read it, much less to ask such questions as are 
necessary to make it fully intelligible. The lye is doubt- 
less intended to free the olives from the bitterness natural 
to them when fresh. 

Saturday, December. — At an early hour this morn- 
ing I arrived at Marseilles. My object in coming to this 
city was to visit the districts in its neighbourhood, where 
the raisins and other dried fruits of Provence are pre- 
pared. 

I lost no time in waiting upon M. Negrel Ferand, the 
Director of the Cabinet of Natural History, whom I 
found not only very ready, but extremely well quahfied, 
to give me the information I required. He said that 
almost the only district where raisins were made for 
exportation was Roquevaire, which was his native place, 
and to which he gave me a letter. 

M. Negrel Ferand has contributed the division that 
treats upon Agriculture and Rural Economy, to a quarto 



94 RAISINS AND OTHER, 

work now publishing in four volumes on the Statistics of 
the Provence of Bouches du Rhone. 

Being anxious to obtain the volume which treated 
upon this subject, he told me that I could not purchase 
it without the others, and that the whole work was not 
yet complete ; but he very good-naturedly gave me his 
own proof sheets. This work contains a detailed clas- 
sification, and botanical description of the vines culti- 
vated in the department of Bouches du Rhone, or 
Provence, to the number of 74. The whole number 
which exists is stated to be about 350, but the above are 
all that are considered valuable for cultivation. The 
most of the others are cultivated in gardens and nurse- 
ries more as an object of curiosity than usefulness, of 
the 854 varieties, 220 have been perfectly identified 
with those bearing the same names in the collection of 
the Luxemburg. 

In speaking of the olive, M. Negrel Ferand said, that 
its mode of bearing is biennial ; that is, that the young 
wood must be two years old before it bears fruit. This 
accounts for the pruning every two years, and the 
frequent deficiency in the crop every second year. He 
said it was a point on which there existed much diffe- 
rence of opinion, whether it were better to prune the 
trees partially every year, and thus to have always a 
quantity of bearing wood, or to prune them fully every 
second year, and have a full crop once in two years. In 
this part of the country the olive is subject to great 
injuries from the severity of the weather ; a great part 
of the trees in a whole district being occasionally cut off 
by the frost of a single night. The roots still remain, 
however, and are not long in sending up strong shoots, 
but the trees in this part of the country never attain to 



DRIED FRUITS. 



95 



any great magnitude. When the crop of olives is very 
small, they are generally attacked by insects. The 
annual average quantity of oil produced from each tree 
is only about two quarts. The best oil for eating is 
extracted cold, what is extracted by warm water is used 
for burning, and for soap, and other manufactures. The 
oil of Marseilles is certainly more pure and beautiful 
than I have elsewhere seen it. The finest oil of France 
is produced at Aix, eight leagues north of Marseilles. 

I walked with M. Negrel to the Botanic Garden, for 
the Director of which I had also a letter. The garden is 
neither extensive, nor particularly well furnished. The 
Conservatory is handsome, but is too large to be easily 
heated. The collection of plants is insignificant com- 
pared with that of Montpelier. I saw a swamp oak, a 
pretty large tree, and a splendid specimen of the caout- 
chouc in the conservatory. A specimen of the latter in 
the open air had been killed by the frosts of the pre- 
ceding week, notwithstanding its having been wrapped 
up with straw mats. 

Monday, 5th December. — Having engaged a cabriolet 
and a guide from my maitre d'hotel, I proceeded at an 
early hour to Roquevaire; the distance is about 12 or 
14 miles in an easterly direction. The road almost 
every where proceeded among steep acclivities, through 
a country which the industry of man has won from its 
original barrenness, and which is on all sides cultivated 
like a garden, with every variety of produce. The hills, 
or rather mountains, which bounded the horizon to the 
right, formed a very rugged and picturesque back 
ground to this picture of industry. There is scarce a 
spot which by any degree of labour could be gained from 
the rocks, that is not under cultivation ; and the same 



96 



RAISINS AND OTHER 



field frequently bears at the same time a triple crop; 
first is a triple or quadruple row of vines, then an open 
space from 6 to 1^ feet wide, under corn or legumes 
(and I could not but observe the garden pea several 
inches above the soil, and perfectly uninjured, notwith- 
standing the severity of the late frosts) ; lastly, there is 
with every third row of vines, a row of olives, and not 
unfrequently the whole is surrounded by a hedge of 
mulberries. I'he same system is pursued on the sides of 
hills so steep, that it is necessary at every 12 feet to have 
a wall three feet in height. Notwithstanding the natural 
ruggedness and poverty of this country, it appears to 
be every where teeming with a fine, healthy, and well 
fed population. 

Between 11 and 12 o'clock I arrived at the house of 
M. Brest, the gentleman to whom, in the absence of the 
Mayor, M. Negrel had given me a letter. Besides being 
a proprietor of land, M. Brest is an extensive soap manu- 
facturer and merchant ; his premises are very extensive, 
and comprise a great variety of accommodation. In 
several of the rooms on the ground floor, women were 
employed in packing raisins into boxes and frails, similar 
in every respect to those used at Malaga, and the prices 
of the raisins appeared also to approach very near to 
those of that place. 

The first quality is made from the Pause, or Passe, a 
largish white grape, but by no means so large as some 
others. The skin is rather fine than hard; the bunches 
are sometimes very large, although M. Brest informed 
me, that they are reduced in drying to one-fourth of 
their original weight. The second quality is from the 
Arignan: the raisins of this grape are equally well 
flavoured, and keep as well, but are smaller. When the 



DRIED FRUITS OF PROVENCE. 97 

former are thirty francs the quintal of 100 pounds, the 
latter are only from 20 to 25. The third quality con- 
sists of the smaller and loose grapes of the others, which 
are packed in frails ; they are worth from 15 to 18 francs 
per quintal. The raisins of Roquevaire are packed in 
boxes, containing 12, 25, and 50 pounds, as at Malaga; 
but between every two inches in thickness of grapes they 
spread a sheet of white paper. These raisins, M. Brest 
says, keep the whole year through. They are certainly 
in every respect inferior to the raisins of Malaga. Their 
preparation invariably consists in immersion in a boiling 
lye previous to drying. They do not appear to be aware 
that it is possible to preserve the raisins without this 
previous preparation. M. Negrel says, the effect of the 
lye, in which they are kept from 15 to 20 seconds, is to 
open very fine cracks in the skin of the grapes, by which 
cracks the moisture evaporates. The strength of the lye 
is of the fifth degree of Beaume's hydrometer, which is 
equal in specific gravity, at the temperature of 55 of 
Fahrenheit, to about 1-032. After having been dipped 
in this lye, the grapes are spread out on claies, which con- 
sist of a number of reeds tied together, so as to form a 
flat surface of about seven feet by four. They are 
brought under cover every night, and if the season is fine, 
they are usually sufficiently dried in five days, though in 
the latter part of the season, it sometimes requires fifteen 
days to dry them sufficiently. The preparation of raisins 
commences about the 25th of August, and continues 
during the whole of September, and sometimes as late as 
the 1st of November. Those raisins are finest which are 
dried in the shortest time. The neighbourhood of Roque- 
vaire is the only part of France where dried raisins are 
prepared as an article of commerce, in other parts they 

F 



98 



DRIED FRUITS 



are cured by particular individuals for their own con- 
sumption. The Pause Musque, or Muscat of Alexandria ^ 
is also found in this district, but although M. Negrel 
says it is the identical variety which yields the Muscatel 
raisins of Malaga, and though he strongly recommends it 
to cultivators in preference to the others, it is very seldom 
made into raisins. M. Brest says, the thickness of its 
skin makes it very difficult to dry it in this climate. M. 
Negrel also says, that the Pause Musque is less culti- 
vated than the Pause, because it is very delicate in 
flowering, and frequently blights. He says, however, 
that this may be remedied by pruning it long, and cul- 
tivating it in a treUis ; the common Pause also requires 
to be pruned rather long. The whole quantity of raisins 
of the first quality produced for sale in Provence does not 
in the average of years exceed 4,000 quintals (400,000 
pounds). According to M. Brest, the preparation of 
raisins is nearly on a par, as far as regards profit, with 
the making of wine. During the continental war, when 
it was impossible to import the raisins of Malaga and 
Calabria, those of Provence were in much greater demand, 
and their cultivation was much more profitable. 

M. Brest had also a large quantity of figs packed in 
boxes, and ready for packing. The preparation of these 
consists simply in drying them on the claies for four or 
five days after they are pulled. The flat form which most 
of them have is given them in the boxes, each fig being 
separately pressed into the box. The larger and smaller 
figs are packed in separate boxes, and the finest quality is 
double the price of the inferior. Nothing can be more 
simple than the drying and packing of figs. M. Negrel 
Ferand describes sixty-seven varieties of figs which are 
cultivated in the department of Bouches du Rhone. He 



OF PROVENCE. 



99 



quotes two authors, De Solier and Raymond, showing 
how much the cultivation of this fruit had fallen off' 
within the last two centuries. The former, who wrote in 
the I6th century, after describing the means then pursued 
in drying them, adds, " that those of the inhabitants who 
had least, could sell from 100 to 150 quintals" — from 
10,000 to 15,000 pounds. " Two centuries later," the 
latter says, *' the quantity of figs which the inhabitants 
dried formerly was their principal produce, but now each 
proprietor only gathers about 40 quintals, (4,000 pounds), 
not more than enough for the consumption of his own 
family ! ! " 

The next object which attracted my attention, was a 
quantity of large earthen jars, capable of containing from 
40 to 60 gallons each. These were filled with capers of 
different sizes, from the size of a small nut to that of a 
very small pea, or rather to half the size of a very small 
pea. The latter are called Nonpareils, and are worth 
32 sous (16 J.) a pound. The former being the coarsest 
quality, are worth only B sous a pound. Between these ex- 
tremes there are 8 or 10 different qualities, all varying in 
price according to their size, the smaller being always 
the more valuable. They are put into vinegar as soon as 
they are gathered, after the different sizes are separated by 
means of a succession of coarser and finer sieves ; and they 
need no other preparation. I observed a quantity of olives 
spread out upon some dales on the floor ; they did not 
appear to have suffered in any degree from the worm, as 
was the case with most of the other olives I had seen. 
Many of them still retained a greenish, or rather a whitish 
colour, while the majority were either of a deep purple 
colour, or perfectly black. M. Brest said these light 

v2 



100 DRIED FRUITS 

coloured olives, pressed separately, would yield a finer oil 
than the others, though less in quantity. 

From the apartments where the dried fruits were in 
process of packing, M. Brest conducted me through his 
soap manufactory, which is on a considerable scale, soap 
being one of the most important manufactures of Mar- 
seilles, and being made chiefly with the inferior kinds of 
olive oil ; thence to a saw-mill, turned by water, and 
finally, to a room heated by steam for the treatment of 
silk worms. M. Brest next took me through the planta- 
tion adjoining his buildings, to show me how the caper is 
cultivated. At present the bushes are all covered with 
soil to prevent them being destroyed by the frost, and pre- 
paratory to this they had been pruned down to the length 
of from six to 12 inches each branch or shoot. In the 
spring they are cut down close to the stock, so that every 
year produces new branches. The bushes which yield the 
capers, if well treated, will last for 40 years ; they yield 
on an average one pound and a half of capers, though 
some of the very strong bushes will occasionally yield 
from five to six pounds. The caper is the flower bud 
before its development ; the largest and least valuable 
grow near the bottom of the branch, the smallest at the 
top. They are gathered by women at the expense of a 
halfpenny a pound. The bushes are about four feet apart; 
they are propagated by means of offsets from the roots, 
two of which offsets were presented to me by M. Brest, 
On opening the box which contained these offsets in 
London, I had the mortification to find that they had 
both perished. Having expressed my desire to procure 
cuttings of the grapes which are dried for raisins, and of 
any other sort cultivated in the district which I had not 
already procured, M. Brest sent a boy to conduct me to 



OF PROVENCE. 



101 



a property of his own, with a message to the fermier to 
give me the different kinds I wanted. He observed that 
he would have accompanied me himself, had he not been 
very busy packing up a quantity of fruits which were 
required to be sent off immediately. The whole of the 
ground over which I went is cultivated like a garden. Jn 
many places the vines are only planted along the edges 
of the terraces, which are every where built to support 
the soil. The caper is very generally cultivated in this 
district. The fermier was not at home, but soon arrived. 
He gave me cuttings of six new varieties, a dozen of each. 
The vines are pruned, leaving on each shoot two buds, 
exclusive of the one at the junction. These are the vines 
which yield the grapes for drying ; there were from two 
to three shoots on each vine pruned in this manner. The 
Jermier said, that each vine produced from 8 to 12 
bunches. According to M. Brest, the ground in this 
district is all trenched to the depth of ^i- or 3 feet before 
planting, but they do not put in the cutting the whole of 
this depth. M. Negrel states, that it has been observed 
that the roots come from the two buds nearest to the 
surface only, and that the lower part of the cutting im- 
parts to the remainder a portion of its decay. There is 
a good deal of sweet wine made in this neighbourhood, 
chiefly from a variety of the Muscat grape. The wines 
of Provence^ or Bouches du Rhone, are not celebrated, 
nor do they appear to be known as well as they deserve 
to be. They have never furnished many choice wines for 
commerce, but M. Negrel says many proprietors make 
them of excellent quality, when they take some trouble to 
have them good for their own consumption. I returned 
after an excursion of an hour and a half to the house of 
M. Brest, who pressed me to remain for the night, and 



102 



HERMITAGE. 



return to Marseilles next day ; but this kindness my 
anxiety to get forward, induced me to decline, and, after 
partaking of some fruit and wine, I returned to Marseilles. 

Tnesdai/, 6th December. — During the course of this 
day I visited M. Negrel, He is now engaged in removing 
the collections of Natural History to a new Museum. I 
was happy to be able to promise that I would send him 
from London a stuffed Ornithorhijnchus paradoxus and a 
few shells. M. Negrel is only pro tempore Director of 
the Cabinet of Natural History at Marseilles; M. Roux, 
who holds that appointment permanently, being at pre- 
sent travelling in the East Indies with aGerman naturalist. 
M. N. said it was probable they might visit New Holland, 
in which case he recommended them to my attentions. — 
Through the kindness of Mr. Gower, an English mer- 
chant, to whom I had brought a letter of introduction, I 
procured letters to Valence, to the neighbourhood of 
Beaune, and to Dijon ; the first, in order to enable me to 
visit, with advantage, the vineyards of Hermitage, — the 
two latter, those of Burgundy. I then procured, for the 
purpose of planting in New South Wales, a quantity of 
very fine fresh dates, three varieties; the first was called 
the date of Oran ; the second, the Muscat date : both of 
these were from Tunis. The third was the common date 
of Barbary, to which they attached little value. 

Wednesday^ 1th December. — This morning, at seven 
o'clock, I quitted Marseilles for Avignon, where I arrived 
at eight in the evening. The whole district from INIar- 
seilles till within a few miles of Avignon, is, to all appear- 
ance, of the most sterile description, though everywhere 
cultivated with the greatest care. Aix, about 20 miles 
from Marseilles, is celebrated for the quality of its oils ; 
but from this town, onwards, the olive becomes more rare, 



HERMITAGE 



103 



its place being taken, in general, by the mulberry. The 
plain round Avignon is said to be one of the richest in 
France. At Avignon I found that there is a regulated 
price at which the diligences are accustomed to take 
merchandise, much lower than they charge for the addi- 
tional baggage of a passenger. I accordingly agreed for 
the carriage of the two cases of vine plants to Lyons. 

Friday^ ^th December, Valence. — Having joined the 
dihgence for this place late on Thursday evening, I ar- 
rived about seven this evening, and immediately proceeded 
to the house of the merchant for whom I had brought a 
letter. I was informed that he was then from home, and 
it would be very late before he returned. I was, there- 
fore, prevented joining a diligence which was to proceed 
to Tain at eight next morning. After quitting Avignon I 
saw no more olives, but the mulberry was most abundant 
on all sides; and every person with whom I have spoken 
on the subject, including Messrs. Durand, Professor 
Delisle, Messrs. Audibert, Negrel, and Brest, concur in 
representing the rearing of silk worms as a most profitable 
pursuit. M. Audibert said, that many persons in their 
neighbourhood who had mulberries did not themselves 
rear the silk worm, but disposed of the leaves to others. 
The ordinary price given for the leaves of a good-sized 
mulberry tree was from seven to eight francs, and if the 
leaves happened to be scarce, so much as 10 or 12 francs 
have been given. They do not begin to strip the trees of 
their leaves till they are five or six years old. 

Saturday, lOtJi December. — The gentleman to whom I 
brought the letter was not himself a proprietor of vine- 
yards at Hermitage, but was requested to introduce me 
to some person having a vineyard there. On waiting 
upon him this morning, I found a letter prepared for me, 



104 



WIXES OF 



addressed to Messrs. Richard and Sons, who are eminent 
wine merchants and bankers in Tournon, a town on the 
opposite side of the Rhone to Tain, and joined to it by a 
suspension bridge. On receiving this letter, I hired a 
vehicle to carry myself and my baggage to Tain, which is 
a small town, situated on the left bank of the Rhone, on 
the plain which lies immediately between the hill called 
Hermitage and the river. On presenting my letter, and 
explaining in general terms the object of my visit, I 
entered into conversation w^th M. Richard, senior,, relative 
to the wines of Hermitage. The greatest part of the 
finest orowth is sent to Bourdeaux to mix with the first 
growths of Claret. Messrs. Richard are themselves pro- 
prietors of part of the hill of Hermitage, but not of that 
part which yields the finest wines. They are also wine 
merchants, but, like the INIessrs. Durand, of Perpignan, 
they sell it only on the grand scale. One of the sons who 
manages this department, conducted me over the cellars. 
The press is more complete than any I have yet seen; the 
screw is of iron, and from the closeness of the worm, must 
be of immense power. It is raised in the centre of a 
square trough, about seven feet in diameter. The female 
screw is covered by a horizontal wooden wheel, the spokes 
of which project over the sides of the trough, and are 
finished off so as to afford a convenient handle for the 
workmen. At the height of a foot from the bottom of the 
trough, on the outside, there is a circular stage projecting 
from its sides for the workmen when filling the press, and 
turning the wheel. The sides of the trough only rise to 
the height of this stage. The grapes, without any pre- 
vious treading, are built up in the trough to the height 
of the screw, and when the latter is turned, the must flows 
from spouts which issue from the bottom of the trough 



HEUMITAGE. 105 

at each side. When the sides of the mass which may 
have been pressed out so far as to escape from the action 
of the press have been cut off with an instrument resem- 
bling a hay knife, and the press has been raised so as to 
receive this additional quantity, and again put in operation, 
the process is complete ; not a drop of must remains in 
the marc, as the mass of skins and stalks is called. The 
marc is disposed of, and employed to produce a bad 
brandy. For this purpose it is soaked in water to extract 
any saccharine matter which may remain, and the fluid 
which it yields, when again pressed, is fermented and dis- 
tilled. To my astonishment M. Richard informed me, 
that by one charge of this press they could obtain 40 
casks of w4ne, of about 50 gallons each. As the must 
flows from the press, it is conveyed to the casks, where it 
is suffered to ferment from five days to a month, accord- 
ing to the strength of fermentation, the casks being always 
kept full to permit the scum to escape. When the first 
fermentation is decidedly finished, the wine is drawn oft* 
into a clean cask, which has been previously sulphured. 
This is the whole process of making the white wines of 
Hermitage. They are more or less sweet, according to 
the proportions of sweet and dry grapes which have been 
united in producing them, for they are all made from two 
varieties, the Marsan yielding a must^ which by itself 
would give a sweet wine, and the Roussette a must which 
by itself would yield a dry wine. 

The white wine of Hermitage, even after having under- 
gone the complete fermentation above described, still 
retains a disposition to effervesce when put into bottle. It 
is said to be without question the finest white wine of 
France, and will keep for 100 years, improving as it gets 

f3 



106 



WINES OF 



older ; and when very old, acquiring a similarity to the 
white wines of Spain. 

For fermenting the red wines, Messrs. Richard have 
two vats, each capable of containing 16,000 gallons. 
Every day as the grapes are brought from the vineyard 
they are trodden in troughs, and then emptied into the 
vats, and while the vats are filHng, a man gets into them 
once a day to tread down the surface. The object of this 
is to prevent the surface from becoming sour by exposure 
to the air, and to render the fermentation as equal as 
possible through the whole mass. When it becomes too 
deep for a man to tread it to the bottom, he suspends 
himself by the middle from a plank across the vat. The 
duration of the fermentation is very uncertain, depending 
upon the state of the weather, and the ripeness of 
the grapes. Messrs. Richard ferment the finest grapes 
in one vat, and those of an inferior quality in the other. 
I tasted the wine of both vats of the last vintage ; the 
first was made of the best grapes, which were also gathered 
in dry and warm weather; the second quality was made 
from the inferior grapes, and from others which had been 
gathered during rain and cold weather. 

The fermentation of the first was over in five days, and 
its present value is 300 francs the cask of 210 litres (that 
is, about as many bottles), the other continued fermenting 
in the vat for twenty days, and its present value is only 
80 francs for the same quantity. 

The finest Ciarets of Bourdeaux are mixed with a por- 
tion of the finest red wine of Hermitage, and four-fifths 
of the quantity of the latter which is produced, are thus 
employed. The wines are racked off the lees in spring, 
and sulphured. A very small piece of sulphured match 



HERMITAGE. 107 

is burnt in the casks intended for the white wine ; the red 
wine requires a greater portion. These matches are pur- 
chased from persons who make a business in preparing 
them. They are slips of paper, about one inch and a half 
broad, and when coated on both sides with sulphur, are 
about the thickness of a sixpence. A piece of one inch 
and a half square is sufficient for a cask of white wine 
containing 50 gallons. 

On returning from visiting the cellar of old wines, 
which is under the other, I found one of M. Richard*'s 
sons in the office, who had been IS months in England, 
and spoke English very correctly. He took me to visit 
one of the largest proprietors of the part of the hill of 
Hermitage, which produces the best wines We found 
him at home, and walked with him to two of his vineyards. 
The hill of Hermitage is so called from an ancient hermi- 
tage, the ruins of which are still in existence near its top. 
It was inhabited by hermits till within the last 100 years. 
The hill, though of considerable height, is not of great 
extent; the whole front which looks to the south may 
contain 300 acres, but of this, though the whole is under 
■vines, the lower part is too rich to yield those of the best 
quality, and a part near the top is too cold to bring its 
produce to perfect maturity. Even of the middle region, 
the whole extent does not produce the finest wines. M. 
Machon, the gentleman whose property we were travers- 
ing, pointed out to me the direction in which a belt of 
calcareous soil crossed the ordinary granitic soil of the 
mountain, and he said it requires the grapes of these 
different soils to be mixed, in order to produce the finest 
quality of Hermitage. I took home a portion of the soil 
which he pointed out as calcareous, and the degree of 
effervescence which took place on my pouring vinegar 



108 



VIKEYARDS OF 



upon it, indicated the presence of a considerable portion 
of lime. It is probably to this peculiarity that the wine 
of Hermitage owes its superiority, for to all appearance 
many of the neighbouring hills on both sides of the 
Rhone present situations equally favourable, although the 
wine produced even upon the best of them never rises to 
above half the value of the former, and in general not to 
the fourth of their value. A good deal may also be 
attributable to the selection of plants. The best red 
wines of Hermitage are made exclusively from one variety, 
and the white wines from two varieties ; but in the district 
generally a much greater number of varieties are culti- 
vated. The Red Grape is named the Ciras *. The white 
varieties are the Roussette and the Marsan. The former 
yields by itself a dry and spirituous wine, which easily 
affects the head— the plant produces indifferently— the 
latter yields a sweeter wine — they are mixed together to 
produce the best white Hermitage. 

The labour bestowed upon these vineyards is immense. 
According to M. Machon, on their first plantation, and 
every time the plantation is renewed^ the soil is dug to the 
depth of 4i or 5 feet. In most places it is also supported 
by terraces. This was the first place, in the course of my 
journe}^, in which T observed any supports given to the 
vinesj but these were simply a stake of about five feet in 
height to each plant, and the shoots were tied together at 
its top ; far from the care indicated by the small trelHs of 
the Medoc vineyards, this part of the labour seemed to be 

* In the (E)iologie Fran^aise, a very minute and correct account of the 
French vineyards, published in 1826, the name of this grape is spelt Scyras ; 
and it is stated that, according to the tradition of the neighbourhood, the plant 
was originally brought from Shiraz in Persia, by one of the hermits of the 
mountain. 



HERMITAGE. 



109 



performed in the rudest possible manner. M. Machon 
informed me that the vines require constant attention to 
keep them in bearing, and whenever a vine is observed to 
be weak, or to yield a poor crop, it is dug out, and its 
place supplied by a provin from the strongest vine in its 
neighbourhood. I saw this operation commenced and 
completed. A vine which appeared weaker than the rest 
was dug out, and a trench of about two or two and a half 
feet deep, was opened up between it and the nearest vine 
in the adjoining row. This vine bore three vigorous 
shoots ; the stock was carefully bent down till it was laid 
flat along the bottom of the trench ; a quantity of dung 
was next put over it, and then some soil ; of the three 
shoots, the least favourable from its inclination was cut 
off, one of the two remaining was bent back to the original 
position of the stock, and there fixed by the covering in 
of the soil ; the other, in like manner, was bent in the 
opposite direction to fill the place of the plant which was 
dug out. It is evident that this is a very different process 
from that of filling a vacant space by bending the shoot 
of an adjoining vine into the ground till it issues at the 
place where it is intended to grow, and afterwards, when 
it has acquired sufficient strength, cutting off its connec- 
tion with the original ; the stock actually became the root 
of tvv'o distinct vines, and their connection is never de- 
stroyed. This process had taken place with a considerable 
portion of the vines this season, and a portion of them 
are annually treated thus : — Into each trench was put 
rather a large basket full of stable dung, mixed with soil. 
On my expressing great surprise that dung should be 
used at all in a vineyard of such reputation, as I had 
always understood, that though it added to the quantity 
of the wine, it injured its quality, and often gave it a bad 



110 



VINEYARDS OF HERMITAGE. 



flavour, the proprietor said, that without frequent and 
strong manuring the vines would scarcely yield any thing ; 
and that provided horse or sheep dung only were used, 
there was no danger of its giving the wine a bad flavour, 
though the contrary was the case if the dung of cows, and 
still more that of pigs, were made use of. M. IMachon 
gave me 12 cuttings, the number I requested, of each of the 
three varieties of vines. He strictly charged the vigneron 
to select them from young vines ; he said it was with 
the greatest difficulty they could get the vines to last 30 
years, and they would not last more than half of that time, 
if they were not taken from young vines, that is, from 
vines of five or six years. The vines of Hermitage are 
planted at the distance of only 2y feet from each other, 
and are pruned differently from any I have before observed. 
They are not anxious to keep the stocks low, as in the 
south, but many of the older among them are 18 inches, 
or two feet in height. In general there is only one mother 
branch, and one shoot only (very seldom two) is pruned 
to yield the shoots of the season ; on this shoot are 
left from 3 to 8 buds, according to its strength, and 
from 8 to 10 bunches is the average produce of eacli 
vine. However loosely the bearing wood of the season 
appeared to be tied up in a tuft at the top of the stake, 
M. Machon showed me that the portion which had been 
left of the last year's wood was carefully bent down in a 
circular form, and thus fixed to the stake. This, he said, 
was to prevent the sap from shooting up with too great 
force to the top. The average produce of M. Machon's 
vineyards is from 10 to 12 casks, of about 50 gallons per 
hectare; that is, from 210 to 260 gallons per English 
acre. The soil appeared to be of great depth, and full of 
small stones and gravel, but still there was every where 



COTE d'oR. 



Ill 



a large proportion of good vegetable mould. An obser- 
vation made by M. Machon was, that the wines of granitic 
soils soon acquired their maturity, and were in general 
very pleasant wines for the consumption of the country 
where they grew, but seldom kept well. 

Before parting, M. Richard asked me how I had in gene- 
ral been treated by his countrymen, and he appeared much 
gratified when I told him that the attentions I had uni- 
formly met with far exceeded either what I did expect, 
or had any right to expect. Indeed, I have often reflected 
how ill placed was the reserve I was advised to use about 
the objects of my journey, when in the Bourdeaux country 
in 1822. I was then told, that if these were known, it 
would excite the greatest jealousy wherever I should go, 
and that I would be thwarted and misled in every possible 
way. On the present occasion I had no advisers, and 
acting upon the impulse of my own disposition, I uniformly 
prefaced my request for information with a statement of 
the object for which it was required. So far, however, 
from having been in any one instance ill-received or mis- 
led, I have found every person to whom I applied anxious 
to forward my undertaking. M. Richard expressed a 
hope, that if I published an account of my journey, I 
would give his countrymen the credit to which I consi- 
dered them entitled. 

Wednesday, \^th December, Beaune, — After quitting 
the vineyards of Hermitage, there was nothing which I 
was desirous of examining, till my arrival in Burgundy, 
and I accordingly made the best of my way to this town, 
which is in the centre of the Cote d'Or. Spending only 
one day in Lyons, which was still in a state of ferment 
from the disturbances that had taken place three weeks 
before, the road from Chalons sur Saone, whence I took 



112 



COTE D OR. 



my departure this morning, and Chagny, a small town, 
where commences the range of hills called Cote Or, 
was crowded with people driving cattle and pigs ; a gen- 
tleman who was with me in the diligence said they were 
going to a fair at Chagny. I observed a number of very 
fine working oxen, in pairs; they were yoked by the head, 
and appeared perfectly docile. My companion said they 
were worth from 300 to 400 francs a pair. I had a letter 
of introduction addressed to Rully, near Beaune, and I 
never doubted that I should find it within a mile of that 
town. On making inquiry, however, in which direction 
I must proceed, I was informed that Rully was 13 or 14 
miles distant, and that I had passed it by on the road 
from Chalons. After some hesitation, I resolved, as the 
weather was extremely wet, to content myself with seeing 
the vineyards nearer Dijon, to which town I had also a 
letter. After waiting a couple of hours in hopes of better 
weather, I procured a boy to conduct me in the direction 
of Pornard, the nearest vineyard to Beaune, which has 
any celebrity. After leaving the town, however, for about 
half a mile, I became tired of walking through the mud, 
which was in many places ankle deep, and turned aside to 
join some men who were at work on the road-side. The 
first thing which had struck me on seeing the vineyards 
of Burgundy, was the extreme closeness and feebleness 
of the plants. These men were employed in planting. 
They opened a small furrow with a spade, only one spit, 
or about twelve inches, deep, and about nine inches wide 
at the bottom. The furrows were ^\ feet apart, and the 
plants were placed in them at the distance of 14 or 15 
inches ; the lower end of the plant was placed across the 
bottom of the furrow, and bent up at one side, a quantity 
of dung was placed above, and then the soil was covered 



BEAUNE. 



113 



in, and the plantation finished. They told me that after 
these vines were three years old, the strongest of them 
would be selected to fill another row between each of the 
present row, by the system of provinage, the same as I 
had seen at Hermitage ; and thus a space of 15 inches 
only would be left between each plant in every direection. 
The vines adjoining had not more space allowed, although 
the soil appeared exceedingly fertile. They said it would 
yield a good ordinary wine, but not a fine wine. 

The plain between Chagny and Beaune, lying to the 
south-east of the range of hills, which, from the value of 
their produce, give the name of Cote (TOr to the depart- 
ment, is extremely rich, and to all appearance capable of 
yielding golden harvests of corn, as the hills do of wine. 
The greater portion of it, however, was planted with vines 
on both sides of the road. NearChagnyit appeared lighter, 
with a larger admixture of stones, and on approaching 
Beaune, it was a rich brown loam. A portion of the soil 
taken from where the men were planting was very slightly 
calcareous. Towards the top the range of hills, which are 
of no great elevation, not nearly so high or so steep as 
Hermitage, was not planted, but seemed to be in a state 
of nature, or in pasturage. The hill of Hermitage was 
planted to the top. 

Thuy^sday, 15th December, Dijon. — Having joined the 
diligence at ten last night, I arrived here at three this 
morning. After breakfast I proceeded to the house of 
the merchants to whom I had brought a letter from 
Marseilles, but found they were both from home ; neither 
was there any person belonging to their establishment 
who could in any way forward my views. I applied to 
the innkeeper; and after telling him the object of my 
journey, inquired if he were acquainted with any of the 
proprietors of the best vineyards. He said yes ; that he 



114 



COTE d'oR. 



could give me the address of a proprietor at Gevray, and 
also of the proprietor of the Clos Vougeot. The day was, 
however, too far spent to proceed to either of these places. 
I therefore walked through the mud to the nearest vine- 
yards, and entered into conversation with some of the 
people whom I found employed in them. The place I 
visited was a gentle slope, with a south-east exposure. 
The soil seemed good, and at the same time perfectly 
loose and full of gravel. It belonged to the mayor of the 
town, and produced, the man said, a fine wine; by which 
term the French characterise, generally, those wines which 
are drunk pure and in wine glasses, in contradistinction 
to those which are drunk in tumblers mixed with water 
at their ordinary meals. If, however, I had sought a 
reason for the wine not having a high name, I might 
perhaps have found it in the quantity of strong dung he 
was adding to the soil, and to the mixture of different 
kinds of vines — the infamous game, as it is sometimes 
called, holding a considerable place. He was busily 
employed in the provignage^ which seems almost the 
only work going on at present. He had commenced the 
same morning, and had dug about twenty trenches, three 
or four feet long by about two feet wide. In each of 
these were half-a-dozen provins ; that is, the ends of the 
shoots which belonged to the stock that had been buried 
in the trench. These trenches are never more than half- 
filled, as the shoots are never sufficiently long to come up 
to the level of the surface. From this circumstance the 
whole of the vineyards of Burgundy are full of these 
holes at irregular distances, and have a very rugged and 
unworkman-like appearance. I remained while he com- 
pleted two of these trenches, and he endeavoured to 
explain to me the process; but all that I could compre- 
hend was, that the shoots were so disposed as to preserve 



DIJON. 115 

the alignment, although it would have been very difficult 
to point out which way the alignment lay. For this 
purpose the stocks and roots were twisted, and the 
different plants laid across each other in every possible 
direction. At a little further distance another man was 
employed in rooting out a vineyard, which he said had 
been neglected some years before, and which it had been 
found impossible to reduce to order. The plants were 
literally crowded to such a degree, that it was almost 
impossible to set down the foot without treading upon 
some of them. Before it should be again planted with 
vines, it would, he said, be laid down for three or four 
years with sainfoin. This is a common preparation of 
the soil for vines in this district, and seems to be almost 
considered equivalent to a trenching. He said that, for 
a poor man, the gnmS, or, as it was generally called, the 
large plants was undoubtedly the best kind of vine, the 
quantity it yielded was so much greater than the other ; 
and, to a poor man, the quality was not so much an 
object, for the large proprietors and merchants would 
never acknowledge his wine to be a fine one, and it was 
very difficult to sell it for a high price, however good. 
He said that, in that soil, the large plant would yield 
eight pieces of wine on a plot of ground 78 paces by 
(the extent of that he was working). This is little more 
than the third of an acre, and is more than 1000 gal- 
lons per English acre. It would require, he said, to be 
occasionally manured. The manure gave a slight flavour 
to the wane for the first season only, but as only a part of 
the ground was manured each season, the bad flavour of 
the part was not observed in the whole. The soil of this 
vineyard effervesced very strongly with an acid. 

Friday, I6th December. — Having engaged a cabriolet 



116 



COTE d'oR. 



from the maitre d'hotel, I proceeded at an early hour this 
morning for Gevray and Clos Vougeot. It was a re- 
tracing of part of the road by which 1 had arrived from 
Beaune. The appearance of the range of hills is almost 
in every respect similar to what it was from Chagny to 
Beaune, but towards the top it was more generally 
covered with wood. On both sides of the road the soil 
also appears similar, but on the north side it is in most 
places evidently too moist for the vine, and is under 
cultivation with corn. The young wheat looks healthy 
and vigorous, but is not nearly so far advanced as in the 
south. The country is thickly peopled along the whole 
range of the Cote d'Or. There are said to be fifty 
villages between Dijon and Beaune, a distance of twenty- 
six miles. Some of these villages are of very consider- 
able extent, and the houses are in general large, and all 
whitewashed and in good order. 

The village of Gevray is about five miles from Dijon. 
In its immediate neighbourhood is the small vineyard of 
Chambertin, as well as several others which yield wines 
scarcely inferior, though less known to fame. The person 
to whom my guide was desired to take me was a merchant, 
as well as a proprietor. He said he would, with the 
greatest pleasure, give me all the information in his power, 
and he made some general remarks upon the requisites 
which must concur to afford a good wine. But he said 
that the postillion had informed him that he was also 
directed to take me to the Clos Vougeot, where I would 
find the confidential manager of M. Ouvrard, the pro- 
prietor, who could explain much better not only the 
management of the vineyard, but the making of the wine, 
for it was the largest and best managed vineyard in 
Burgundy. In the meantime, as I had expressed a desire 



GEVRAY AND CHAMBERTIN. 



117 



to see Chambertin, he procured a vigneron, who, he said, 
was a very intelligent man, and would conduct me to it. 
Chambertin lay in the direction of Vougeot, but by a 
very bad road. The land under vines is in general very 
much subdivided throughout France, but here the pro- 
perties are of less extent than anywhere I have been. 
Five or six proprietors often divide among them a piece 
of ground not exceeding an acre in extent, and the usual 
extent of most of the separate properties is not more than 
half an acre. The vigneron said that the wine produced 
to the left of the by-road we were travelling was inferior 
to that on the right, which was higher and drier. We 
turned off into the vineyard of Chambertin, which in 
extent cannot exceed 15 or 20 acres ; but this, like most 
other parts of the district, is subdivided among a number 
of proprietors. The vignerons were at work on most of 
the divisions, which are only made by a footpath, or an 
'irregularity in the plantation. The soil of Chambertin 
varies extremely, even in the distance of 100 yards; that 
nearest the road is of a brown loam of sufficient con- 
sistency, but full of gravel, and consequently very 
friable. The gravel consists of small broken pieces 
of the whitish limestone, of which the hill is partly 
formed. At the highest limit to which the ground has 
been broken up, it is a light-coloured clayish looking 
soil, with a subsoil of marl and abundance of small shells. 
Both of these soils effervesced strongly with an acid, 
but the light-coloured evidently contains a far greater 
proportion of hme. The soils of Beze, another first-rate 
vineyard of the commune of Gevray, was exactly similar to 
that of the lower part of Chambertin. A league further 
on, the middle part of the Clos Vougeot was as nearly as 
possible the same ; but the lowest part of that vineyard is 



118 



COTE d'oR. 



almost a pure clay, of a dark yellow colour, without any 
admixture of calcareous matter whatever. From what I had 
previously observed at Dijon on the one side, and Beaune 
on the other, I have no doubt that the same character 
applies, with trifling variations, to the whole range of the 
Cote d'Or. Nearest the top the soil contains a larger pro- 
portion of lime, and this in general yields the driest and 
best wine. On descending, the clay begins to predomi- 
nate, and the wine gradually falls off in quality till it be- 
comes the vi7i ordinaire of the country. By dint of fre- 
quent observations and repeated questions, I conceive that 
I at last perfectly understand the system of provignage. 
To make it plain, suppose a small portion of ground to 
be annually planted with vines. At the end of ten or a 
dozen years a number of the plants, in the portion first 
planted, become weak and worn out. These weak plants 
are removed, and their places filled by provins from their 
stronger neighbours ; but these provins are not mere layers 
which leave the stock exactly as before. The whole space 
of ground;, generally the breadth of two rows of plants, is 
dug out to the depth of about two feet ; the old stock is 
then laid flat down in the bottom of the trench, and the 
branches, that is, the wood last produced, are twisted and 
bent into the places where the voids are to be filled. — 
The stock is thus converted into the root of two or three 
different plants ; it throws out fibres from every side, 
which henceforth yield the nourishment to the plants, ana 
the old root dies off. 1 observed some spots where all the 
plants had been too weak, and a colony of young plants, 
as it was called, had been introduced, which would be 
employed in peophng their neighbourhood when they had 
acquired sufficient strength. The provignage extends irre- 
gularly over the whole vineyard, but most, or all, of the 



GEVRAY AND CHAMBERTIN. 



119 



plants are thus buried, and renewed once in 12 or 14 years; 
and thus the whole is in a constant state of bearing (the 
provins yielding a crop the first year), and it is seldom 
necessary to introduce young vines. All of the small 
proprietors manure their vines with strong stable dung ; 
they make no distinction between that of horses and that 
of cows. 

After quitting the vineyard of Chambertin, I rejoined 
the cabriolet, and after recovering the main road, pro- 
ceeded to Clos Vougeot. This vineyard formerly be- 
longed to a convent, and the buildings are therefore rather 
extensive. What was the old vineyard is enclosed by a 
high stone wall, but M. Ouvrard, the present proprietor, 
has also acquired a considerable portion of the land with- 
out the wall, and the present extent of the Clos Vougeot 
is therefore 48 hectares, 112- English acres. 

I mentioned to the steward of M. Ouvrard my disap- 
pointment regarding my letters of introduction, and my 
having resolved in consequence to trust to the good nature 
of the proprietor of Clos Vougeot for a friendly reception. 
He replied, very heartily, that I had done well. He con- 
ducted me over the cellars where the wines are made, and 
subsequently over those where they are kept, explaining 
the whole process pursued in making the wine, and an- 
swering all my questions with great exactness. The first 
cellar forms a square, or rather consists of four parallelo- 
grams, inclosing a square. In each of the four corners is 
a large square case, or trough, about 12 feet in diameter ; 
and above this an immense lever, worked by a wooden 
screw, similar to those I had seen for pressing the olives 
in Spain. Along the walls, on each side, are arranged 
the fermenting vats, which are each of the capacity of 18 
hogsheads. The vintage is in general soon over, M. 



120 



COTE D^OR. 



Ouvrard employing often from 400 to 450 vintagers 
at the same time. For the red wine, the grapes as 
they are brought in are thrown into the large cases or 
troughs above described, and these trodden by a number 
of men, with large wooden shoes, till the grapes are 
nearly all broken. They are then taken up in baskets, 
with interstices wide enough to allow the grapes to pass 
through, when a portion of the stalks, generally about 
two thirds, are taken out. If the whole of the stalks 
were taken out, the quality of the wine, as has been re- 
peatedly proved, would be inferior. The whole is then 
put into the vat into which the must^ as it ran from the 
treading, had been previously carried. With the number 
of people employed, it requires a very short period to fill 
a vat. A space of about 12 inches is left unfilled at the 
top, and a sliding lid is then put over, which floats upon 
the surface. As soon as the fermentation becomes violent, 
the swelling of the mass lifts the lid to the height of six 
inches above the mouth of the vat. As, however, the 
skins and the stalks had previously risen to the surface, 
none of the liquor escapes. A very small space, formed 
by the looseness of the lid, is considered sufficient to allow 
the gas to escape, until the rising of the lid allows a 
greater space. And it is perhaps owing to the confine- 
ment of the gas that the lid is raised to such a height. 
If the weather had been very warm when the grapes were 
gathered, and still continues warm, while the fermentation 
is going forward, the wine is soon made. The fermenta- 
tion is sometimes over in thirty hours, at other times it 
continues 10, 12, and even 15 days. The best wine is 
always produced from the most rapid fermentation. 
When the fermentation slackens, the liquor begins to 
subside, and when it is entirely over, sinks within the top 



CLOS VOUGEOT. 



of the vat, but not so low as when the vat was first filled, 
for the marc, or, in other words, the stalks and skins, are 
completely separated from the liquor, and float upon the 
top. 

As soon as it is known by the subsiding of the head, and 
by the taste and examination of the wine, that the fermen- 
tation has ceased, the wine is drawn off into large vats, 
which contain about 700 gallons each. Every three or 
four months it is pumped by means of the siphon and 
bellows into another vat of the same dimension, when a 
man enters by the small opening left in the end of the 
vats, and washes out with a brush and cold water any lees 
which may have been deposited. The Burgundy of the 
Clos Vougeot receives no other preparation, and it is 
treated in this manner as often as may be judged requi- 
site, till it is disposed of. They commence selhng it when 
three and four years old, but the wine of very favourable 
seasons is retained by the proprietor till it is ten or a 
dozen years old, when it is bottled, and sold at the rate 
of six francs a bottle. The price of the wine of ordinary 
vintages, from three to four years old, is from 500 to 600 
francs the hogshead, but seasons occasionally occur when 
the wine is not better than the Vin Ordinaire of the 
country. The wine of 1824 was given to the labourers 
as their ordinary drink, that of 1825 is now ripening in 
the large vats, and will be worth, in three or four years 
more, six francs a bottle. The wine has been found by 
experience to be of better quahty, and to preserve its 
perfume better, in these large vats than in casks. 

For making the white wine, the process here, as else- 
where, is different. The grapes are pressed without being 
trodden ; the micst, as it flows from the press, is conveyed 
to the small casks, where it is left to ferment, the casks 



122 



COTE d'oR. 



being occasionally filled up to allow the scum to escape 
The fermentation of the white wine lasts from 10 to 15, 
or even 20 days. At the end of three weeks, or a month, 
the white wine is drawn off the gross lees which it has de- 
posited, into clean casks. In the spring it is again drawn 
off into sulphured casks. M. L'Ecrivain, M. Ouvrard's 
. steward, knows the use of spirit of wine instead of 
sulphur, but they use the latter from economical motives; 
the sulphur for a cask costs only a sous, the alcohol to 
produce the same effect would cost six sous. They do 
not find that the sulphur tastes the wine. They are get- 
ting rid of the white grapes in the Clos Vougeot, for the 
vines not only produce less, but the price of white wine 
never rises so high as that of the red wines. It is no un- 
common thing for a hogshead of the latter to bring from 
1,250 to 1,500 francs, but the white wine never rises above 
600 francs the hogshead. The average produce of the 
Clos Vougeot, that is to say, the average of twenty 
years, is about 100 queues^ of two hogsheads each, or 
about eight hogsheads per hectare, something less than 
3i- hogsheads per English acre. They never manure the 
vines, and they have no other varieties of the black 
grape than the Pineaii, or of the white, than the White 
Pineau, and the Chaudenaij, which resembles it so much, 
that the two kinds are confounded. M. L'Ecrivain said, 
that if he knew of a plant of the game in the vineyard, 
he would have it immediately dug out. Every year 
they carry up a quantity of the strong soil from the 
bottom of the vineyard, which, as before observed, con- 
sists of a yellow clay to mix with the lighter soil of the 
higher part. They also mix the wine produced on the 
higher part of the vineyard with what is produced at the 
bottom, to make a perfect wine. The wine of the higher 



CLOS VOUGEOT. 



123 



part is by itself too dry and spirituous, and requires the 
mixture from the lower part to give it body. The substra- 
tum is in some places marl, and in other places decayed 
ipourri) rock. The cultivation is much the same as de- 
scribed for Chambertin. M. L'Ecrivain considers that 
the vineyard is of the proper degree of fulness when the 
plants are fifteen inches apart in every direction. In the 
course of from 12 to 15 years all the plants in the vine- 
yard will undergo the process of provignage, but the 
winter before last appears, from all accounts, to have 
injured the vines exceedingly, and they are every where 
digging out many of them which have not recovered the 
effects of the frost. M. Ouvrard, the proprietor of Clos 
Vougeot, also possesses a portion of Chambertin, and it is 
probable that to this circumstance the latter is indebted 
for being brought into notice, for it appears to me in- 
dubitable that it only requires similar treatment to make 
a very large portion of the Cote d'Or produce wines equal 
to those of Vougeot and Chambertin. But it requires a 
large capital to effect this, and a knowledge of commerce 
to make it profitable, and the smaller proprietors appear 
in general to endeavour to make up by the quantity, for 
what they sacrifice in the quality, of their wines. From 
other accounts I am inclined to believe that the produce 
of a vineyard planted with the game, and manured, as 
stated to me at Dijon, viz. about 1000 gallons per English 
acre, was not much exaggerated. After having received 
from M. L'Ecrivain a small bundle of each of the kinds 
of vines cultivated in the Clos Vougeot, and thanking him 
for his kindness, I took my leave, and arrived at Dijon 
at rather a late hour. 

Wednesday, 2\st December, Rheims. — After having 
quitted the Cote d^'Or, the seat of the famous vineyards 

G 2 



124 



CHAMPAGNE. 



of Burgundy, there appeared little to be worthy of my 
attention till I should reach Champagne, and I therefore 
made the best of my way for this town, the centre of the 
district, in as far at least as the chief trade in Cham- 
pagne wines is concentrated there. For the last two days 
I had travelled through a bare uninteresting country, 
consisting almost exclusively of a chalk subsoil, with a thin 
layer of vegetable mould on the surface. After quitting 
Dijon few vines were to be seen till after having passed 
Chalons-sur-Marne, between which and Rheims are 
situated the Sillery vineyards, which produce the famous 
still wines of that name. The range of hills lies to the 
left of the road, and has an eastern exposure, in some 
places even to the north of east. The small town of 
Sillery is three or four miles from the nearest of them. 
During part of the journey from Dijon to Rheims, I 
travelled in company with an officer of artillery, who had 
gone to Algiers with the expedition, and had only re- 
turned to France about a month before. The French 
colony there remains almost stationary ; owing to the inse- 
curity of the settlers there is little or no emigration. There 
are now 1,500 French troops in the country, and it would 
require not fewer than 40,000 to protect the settlers 
within 25 miles of Algiers. Allotments of land are only 
made to actual labourers, and not to a greater extent than 
from 8 to 20 acres each, and there is generally also a house 
and garden. The land granted by the French govern- 
ment was the property of those who abandoned their 
homes on the French taking possession ; those who re- 
mained were undisturbed in their property. There are 
also extensive domains which belonged to the dey or the 
government. Merino sheep are plentiful, and in large 
flocks,— the mutton is excellent. Beef is not so good. 



RHEIMS. 



125 



The French have made excellent wine from very delicious 
grapes. The civil courts of justice are still preserved as 
before, and the same officers employed. The same taxes 
are also raised, but they are of trifling amount. Most of 
the emigrants, including Swiss, Germans, Italians, and a 
few Spaniards, have become dealers, leaving to the 
Bedouins the cultivation of their land. The hostile 
Bedouins come down upon the outposts in bands of 
15,000 or 20,000, but they cannot withstand the attacks 
of a small body of disciplined troops. 

The very eminent wine house of Messrs. Ruinart and 
Son, of Rheims, are agents for Herries, Farquhar, and 
Co.'s notes. Having called upon them to cash one of 
these, M. Ruinart, junior, conducted me over their wine 
cellai's, which are very extensive, and all subterranean, 
consisting of three under ground stores, one beneath 
another, all mined out of the limestone rock. The wine 
which has received the last attentions which it requires, 
and is ready for expediting to the consumer, is packed in 
large square masses, bottle above bottle, and side by side, 
with no other precaution to keep them steady than a lath 
passing along between the necks of one layer and the 
butts of the next layer above. They generally send the 
wine to the consumer at the age of three and four years, 
but after the first winter, it is all put in bottle. The stock, 
therefore, appears immense, and indeed it is very 
large, for not only are dilFerent qualities required, but 
also diff'erent descriptions to suit the varying tastes of 
their customers in England, America, and Russia, to 
which countries Messrs. Ruinart make their chief ex- 
ports. A gentleman, with whom I travelled, told me 
that he could buy very good sound Champagne at Chalons 
for two francs a bottle, and was then going to purchase 



126 



RHEIMS. 



1 00 bottles at that price, but respectable wine merchants 
never send any to England under three francs a bottle. 
What is sent to England is more spirituous, and froths 
more strongly than what is sold for domestic consumption. 
The greatest and most minute attentions are^necessary in 
preparing Champagne. The casks in which it ferments, 
after running from the press, are previously sulphured to 
prevent the fermentation from proceeding to too great a 
length. It is twice clarified during the winter, and in 
the month of March, before the return of spring has re- 
newed the fermentation, it is bottled off. When in this 
state the bottles are placed in frames, diagonally, with 
their heads downwards. The lees are thus collected in 
the neck of the bottle, but they do not consider it neces- 
sary to uncork the bottles as soon as the wine is perfectly 
clear, nor is it considered that there is any danger of the 
wine spoiling if the return of warm weather should cause 
a re-commencement of the fermentation, and re-mix the 
lees through the wine. On the contrary, they sometimes 
allow the lees to remain to ripen, as they term it, longer than 
usual. The wine, in general, remains in this state till the 
following winter, each bottle is then placed in a frame, 
and carefully uncorked. The contents of the neck of the 
bottle are emptied. It is filled up from another bottle 
of the same wine, and being re-corked, only now requires 
age to give it all the perfection it is capable of. It of 
course often happens, that the wine has either undergone 
less than the usual fermentation, or being stronger than 
usual, requires a greater fermentation before being put 
into bottles ; and it consequently happens that the fer- 
mentation in the bottles is greater than they can bear, 
and that a large proportion of them burst during the first 
summer. The floors of the wine cellars are all covered 



CHAMPAGNE. 



127 



with grooves, sloping to a gutter, by which the wine w^hich 
has burst the bottles is conveyed to a cistern in the floor, 
and, as there is the most perfect cleanliness observed, a 
part of the wane is thus sometimes saved. 

M. Ruinart, junior, is a large proprietor of vines at 
A}', where the first qualities of frothing Champagne are 
made, and to this place he strongly recommended my 
proceeding, in order to have the most favourable view of 
the vineyards of Champagne, of which, he said, the 
cultivation was every where nearly similar, although 
conducted at different places with more or less care. 
He savs the ordinary produce of his own vineyards is 
from 10 to 12 pieces, of about 46 gallons per arpent, 
which is about a •25th part more than an English acre ; 
that is, from 440 to 530 gallons per English acre. 
Having determined on visiting Af, M. Ruinart gave 
me a letter to to his manager, but he said he expected 
him next day at Rheims, and would give him full instruc- 
tions on seeing him. 

Thursday/, 22nd December, — At six o'clock this morn- 
ing I joined the voiture for Epernay, where I arrived at 
eleven o'clock. After breakfast I immediately pro- 
ceeded to Ay, intending to return the next day also to 
meet the agent of M. Ruinart, should I not be satis- 
fied with the information I might procure in his ab- 
sence. Ay is a small town on the right bank of the 
river Marne, a little higher up than Epernay, which is 
situated on the left bank. On both sides of the river 
there is a range of chalky hills, but separated also by a 
very beautiful meadow about a mile in width. These 
hills are of no great elevation, and are more or less steep, 
but in no place is the soil required to be supported by 
terraces. The range of hills above the town of Ay is ex- 



128 



EPERNAY AND AY. 



posed to the full south, except where the exposure is 
varied by recesses in the range ; it consequently pro- 
duces wine of the finest quality, and very superior to 
that of Epernay, which is produced on hills exposed 
to the north. I walked through the meadow with 
great difficulty and labour, the road being almost im- 
passable in some places, owing to the depth of the mud. 
On arriving at Ay, I delivered my letter to Madam Ha- 
zart, the wife of M. Ruinart's manager, and expressed my 
doubts whether I should return the next day. She im- 
mediately called the mattre vlgneron to proceed with me 
to the vineyard, and another to obtain the plants which 
the letter expressed my wish to procure. The depth of 
soil before reaching the chalk on the hill of Ay, is in most 
places, according to the report of the vigneron, 10 to 15 
feet, nor is he aware of any difference being occasioned in 
the quality of the wine when the chalk comes nearer the 
surface, which happens a little farther to the east, where 
they also make wines of the first quality. The soil is 
strongly calcareous, full of small pieces of chalk, and of 
stones. Near the top of the hill the soil is more argilla- 
ceous and stronger than towards the bottom ; and this, in 
some degree, affects the quality of the wine, but not in a 
great degree. The great difference is caused by difference 
in exposure, that to the south producing uniformly the 
best ; where the soil is the same from the top to the bot- 
tom, the middle region of the hill is still the most valuable, 
for it is less subject to the injuries which early frosts fre- 
quently occasion in the lower region, and enjoys in general 
a warmer sun, especially towards the close of the season, 
than the top. When the season has been extremely fine 
and warm from beginning to end, the wine of the higher 
and lower regions of the hill equals that of the middle 



CHAMPAGNE. 129 

region. If I was struck with the closeness of the plants 
in Burgundy, the closeness of these was more remarkable 
still. The vigneron said, that if it were possible to keep 
the vineyard fully furnished with plants, there would be 
one for each 8 or 9 inches in length, by 6 or 7 in breadth. 
The supposition which I made to illustrate the mode of 
'provignage in Burgundy is actually realised here. Every 
year an addition is made to the bottom of the vineyard 
of a certain number of plants, and the whole of the vines 
are in a state of continual progression, being buried, and 
by that means carried 12 or 14 inches up the hill every 
third year. The process is of course not regular, for in 
every place there are plants in each stage of the progress 
which they pass through. According to the number of 
the voids to be filled, the branches of the stock that is 
buried are from two to four or five. On each of these 
branches, when pruned in the spring, are left two buds ; 
these buds produce branches or shoots, which bear fruit 
the first year. The next spring three buds are left upon 
the higher, and two upon the lower of the two shoots, and 
the spring following they are pruned to bear shoots cor- 
responding to the number of voids to be filled in their 
neighbourhood, for their turn to be buried has again 
arrived. By this means also a supply of rooted plants is 
obtained when they are required; but when these rooted 
plants are cut off, and planted out, they never bear fruit 
till the third year. The maitre vigneron said, he believed 
the roots never die. They frequently trace them to a 
very great length, but never disturb them, always burying 
the others above them. The produce per arpent, he says, 
sometimes amounts to 15 pieces (660 gallons per acre), 
and the small proprietors, who manure their vines more 
strongly, have frequently 16. M. Ruinart himself told 

g3 



130 



CHAMPAGNE. 



me, that he knew instances of four arpents giving 100 
pieces, 1,100 gallons per acre. The manure is always 
added to the plants which have been buried; a handful 
of earth is first put over the plant, and the manure above. 
They are, however, extremely cautious as to the quality 
of the manure. In some places I observed dung from the 
farm-yard mixed with soil, but in general it was only 
strong soil from the valley below, mixed with ashes, and 
other amendments of a mild description. 

I here closed my examination of the vineyards of 
France, there being no point unexplained of sufficient im- 
portance to induce me to wait another day for the purpose 
of seeing M. Ruinart's steward. Next morning the 
maitre vigneron brought me three small bundles of plants, 
which he said were the only varieties cultivated in the 
vineyards which produce good wine. The black and 
white Pineau, according to M. Ruinart's statement, 
and as is generally understood, are the varieties of vines 
cultivated in Champagne, as well as in Burgundy. The 
vigneron brought me two black varieties, which he called 
the plant vert^ and plant dore, and one white. The plant 
dore, he said, was introduced into the vineyards of M. 
Ruinart only a few years ago, and was not common in 
the country. It is much more productive than the other 
two varieties. These plants were all rooted, having been 
cut from stocks that had been buried the preceding sea- 
son ; they had each two branches, and are sold in the 
country at the rate of a halfpenny each. These plants were 
very abundant this season, for a vast number had been 
destroyed by the severity of the winter 18£9-30, and it 
was necessary to provide plants to replace them. To such 
an extent were the vineyards injured during that season, 
that in some places the quantity of wine produced did not 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



131 



exceed from 2 to 3 pieces per arpent. With such diffi- 
culties to overcome, the vineyards of Champagne and Bur- 
gundy are striking examples of the effects of industry and 
skill. Nothing can contrast more strongly than the small 
and puny shoots of the vines of Champagne and Bur- 
gundy, compared with the strong and vigorous branches 
of the vines of Spain ; yet have the care and skill of the 
cultivators produced in the former countries a wine equal 
in value to the best of those produced in the most favoured 
climates, and, notwithstanding all their losses, much more 
abundant in quantity. 

Having recorded with so much minuteness my obser- 
vations on every vineyard and district through which I 
passed, I will avoid adding to the length of this journal 
by offering many general remarks. I cannot, however, 
refrain from observing, that from the albarizas of Xeres, 
the most southern vineyards of any reputation in Europe, 
to those of the chalky hills of Champagne, — amongst the 
most northern, — I met with no vineyard producing dry 
wines of reputation, which was not, more or less, cal- 
careous. Although it is acknowledged that two-thirds of 
the vineyards of France are situated upon soil more or 
less calcareous, by Chaptal, and other writers upon the 
subject, they have stated, that provided the soil is porous, 
free, and light, its component parts are of little conse- 
quence; and they enumerate granitic, schistose, argil- 
laceous, flinty, sandy, and calcareous soils, as equally 
well qualified to produce, and as actually producing, in 
different parts of France, wines of the finest quality. 
It appaars evident to me, however, that these writers 
have in many instances been misled by the representations 
which have been transmitted to them. As for instance? 



132 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



when Chaptal and Cavoleau* cite the wine of Hermitage 
as an instance of the excellence of wines produced upon 
the debris of granite ; while the fact is, that the wine of 
the hill of Hermitage owes its superiority over the wines 
of the other hills in its neighbourhood only to the cir- 
cumstance of the granitic soil of a part of that hill being 
mixed with calcareous matter ; and but for this circum- 
stance, I am satisfied that the wine of Hermitage would 
never have been heard of beyond the neighbourhood 
where it grows. I am therefore of opinion, that the 
finest dry wines owe their superiority chiefly to the quality 
of the soil ; and I am much mistaken if it be not found 
that the soils of all vineyards producing dry wines of 
superior excellence are strongly calcareous. All my 
observations have led me to this conclusion, and I know 
of no instance to the contrary. It will be observed, that 
I here only speak of dry wines, for sweet wines of great 
excellence are produced in a variety of soils, and, in fact, 
owe their qualities more to the variety of the grape, and 
the manner in which it is treated, than to the soil. The 
sweet Muscat and Old Mountain wines of Malaga are 
celebrated all over the world ; but though they have the 
same varieties of vines at Malaga as at Xeres de la 
Frontera, and pursue a similar practice in making the 
wine, the best of their dry wines, produced on a soil 
consisting of decomposed slaty schist, are insipid and 
flavourless when compared with the Sherries which are 
produced on the chalky hills of Xeres. The sweet wine 
of Rivesaltes, the most celebrated in France, is produced 
on a granitic soil covered with pebbles ; and the sweet 



* ffinologie Franfaise, on Statisque de Tons les Vignobles de France 

Paris, 1827. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



133 



wines of Cosperon and Collioure, in the same depart- 
ment, are produced on hills of schist, as nearly as possible 
resembling those of Malaga. But though the dry wines 
of both these soils are well known, they are not distin- 
guished for their fineness or flavour. Their excellencies 
are their strength and rich colour, which make them 
valuable for mixing with the weak and hght-coloured 
wines of the ordinary growths of Burgundy and Ma9on5 
which supply the chief consumption of Paris. 

The limited extent of the first-rate vineyards is pro- 
verbial, and writers upon the subject have almost uni- 
versally concluded that it is in vain to attempt accounting 
for the amazing dilFerences which are frequently observed 
in the produce of vineyards similar in soil, and in every 
other respect, and separated from each other only by a 
fence, or a footpath. My own observations have led me 
to believe, that there is more of quackery than of truth in 
this. In all those districts which produce wines of 
high reputation, some few individuals have seen the 
advantage of selecting a particular variety of grape, and 
of managing its culture so as to bring it to the highest 
state of perfection of which it is capable. The same 
care has been extended to the making, and subsequent 
management of their wine, by seizing the most favour- 
able moment for the vintage — by the rapidity with which 
the grapes are gathered and pressed, so that the whole 
contents of each vat may be exactly in the same state, 
and a simultaneous and equal fermentation be secured 
throughout — by exercising equal discrimination and care 
in the time and manner of drawing off the wine, and in 
its subsequent treatment in the vats or casks where it is 
kept — and lastly, by not selling the wine till it should 
have acquired all the perfection which it could acquire 



134 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



from age, and by selling, as the produce of their own 
vineyards, only such vintages as were calculated to ac- 
quire or maintain its celebrity. By these means have 
the vineyards of a few individuals acquired a reputation 
which has enabled the proprietors to command almost 
their own prices for their wines ; and it was evidently 
the interest of such persons that the excellence of their 
wines should be imputed to a peculiarity in the soil, 
rather than to a system of management which others 
might imitate. It is evident, however, that for all this a 
command of capital is required, which is not often found 
among proprietors of vineyards ; and to this cause, more 
than to any other, it is undoubtedly to be traced, that a 
few celebrated properties have acquired, and maintained, 
almost a monopoly in the production of fine wines. 

On my arrival at Paris, I waited upon the Director of 
the Royal Nursery of the Luxembourg, and inquired 
whether I could get the deficiencies supplied in my list 
of vines procured at Montpelier. He replied, certainly; 
there would be no difficulty in the matter, for any plant 
could be procured from the nursery at a regulated price 
That for vine cuttings was two francs and a half per 
hundred. I therefore delivered him my list, with the 
deficiencies marked, to the number of 188, and of these 
110 were supplied, two plants each. I here also procured 
six cuttings each, of sixteen of the most valned varieties 
of vines which are cultivated in those provinces which I 
did not myself visit ; and after very considerable diffi- 
culty, I obtained a copy of the printed catalogue of the 
Royal Nursery of the Luxembourg, including a list of 
the collection of vines. 



END OF THE JOURNAL, 



APPENDIX. 



On niy arrival in London, having heard that several 
convict ships were on the point of sailing, I lost no time 
in addressing to the Principal Secretary of State for the 
Colonies, the following letter : — 

(copy.) 

" London^ 6th January/, 1832. 

My Lord, 

" Having occupied myself a good deal during my residence in New South 
Wales, in endeavouring to promote the plantation of vineyards, and the mak- 
ing of wine in that Colony, I could not allow the opportunity afforded by my 
visit to Europe to pass, without attempting to ascertain to what peculiarities of 
climate, soil, or culture, the most celebrated wine provinces ai'e indebted for 
the excellence of their respective products ; and to make a collection of the 
different varieties of vines cultivated in each, I have just returned to England 
after an absence of four months spent in pursuit of these objects in France and 
Spain, and the results •f my journey have fully satisfied me that the opinion I 
have always entertained of their great importance was not exaggerated^ 

" My reason for troubling your Lordship on this subject, however, is the 
following : — 

" I had the good fortune to find in the Botanic Garden at Montpelier, a col- 
lection of most of the varieties of vines cultivated in France, and in some other 
parts of Europe, to the number of 437, and, on application to the Professor of 
Botany, he (with the gi'eatest liberality) permitted me to take cuttings from 
the whole. I afterwards added to this collection 133 from the Royal Nursery 
of the Luxembourg at Paris, making in the whole 570 varieties of vines, of all 
of which, with two or three exceptions, I obtained two cuttings *. 

" It is my wish to place this collection of vines at the disposal of His 



* There was an error in this, as will be seen from page 1 34. The Director 
of the garden did not tell me that he had not been able to supply the whole 
deficiency, and it was not discovered, till after they were unpacked at Kew, that 
only 110 had been supplied. 



136 



APPENDIX. 



Majesty's Government, for the purpose, should it be deemed expedient, of 
forming an Experimental Garden at Sydney, to prove their different qualities, 
and propagate, for general distribution, those which may appear most suitable 
to the climate. 

" As independently of the above, I have secured a competent quantity of all 
the most valuable varieties which I found cultivated in the best wine districts 
of France and Spain, both for wine and raisins, it might at first sight appear 
superfluous to bestow attention on a collection which must include many of a 
very inferior description ; but it is, perhaps, the most remarkable fact connected 
with the culture of the vine, that even a slight change of climate or soil pro- 
duces a most material change in the qualities of its produce ; and for this 
reason the best varieties of France and Spain may prove (as several of them 
have already proved) of no value in New South Wales, while, on the other 
hand, the most indifferent kinds may produce in that climate the most valuable 
\vines. 

For this reason I am of opinion that the establishment of an Experimental 
Garden at Sydney could not fail to be of the highest value to the Colonies of 
New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, and subsequently to that of the 
Cape of Good Hope also ; while at the same time, being placed under the care 
of the superintendent of the Government Garden, adjoining which there is 
abundance of vacant gi'ound, it would add little to the present expense of that 
establishment. 

" It is my intention also to place a part of the collection I have made in the 
different parts of France and Spain, which I have visited, in the Public Garden, 
to be propagated for general distribution. I trust I may, therefore, be excused 
for requesting that your Lordship will give orders that the cases containing 
these plants (those from France being now in London, and those from Spain 
being expected by the first arrivals from Cadiz and Malaga) may be received 
on board any of the convict ships about to sail, in order to secure their early 
and safe arrival in the Colony. 

" I have the honour to be. 
My Lord. 

" Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant, 

"JAMES BUSBY." 

" The Right Honourable Lord Goderich, ^ 
His Majesty's Principal Secretary V 
of State for the Colonies, ^c. <|-c. ^c." ) 

The accommodation I requested having been immedi- 
ately ordered, I set about having the plants transferred 
to more substantial packages, and packed in sand and 
earth, in order to enable them to sustain the vegetation 
which would result from the hot weather in passing the 



APPENDIX. 



137 



tropics*. By the invitation of Mr. Richard Cunningham, 
tlien of the Royal Gardens of Kew, and since, fortunately 
for the Colony, appointed Colonial Botanist of New 
South Wales, I transferred the cases to Kew, where 
Mr. Cunningham himself superintended their packing, 
and I feel persuaded that to his care I am, in a great 
measure, indebted for the excellent condition in which 
they arrived at Sydney. Mr. Cunningham also found the 
cuttings sufficiently long to affi^rd a short cutting from 
each. These he took the trouble to plant out in open 
boxes, and before leaving England he had shipped them 
on board the Camden convict ship for Sydney, in such 
excellent condition, that he expresses himself as having no 
doubt of their safe arrival ; and he is also confident that 
the deficiencies in the first importation may be made 
good from them. Should Mr. Cunningham's anticipations 
in this respect be realised, I will have the satisfaction of 
having transferred to the Colony, without any expense to 
the public, and almost in a complete state, a national 
collection of vines, which it was for three-quarters of a 
century the favourite project of writers on Agriculture, 
and Agricultural Societies in France, to collect, and which 
was at length accomplished at a very considerable expense 
to the country, by the Count de Chap.tal, when Minister 
of the Interior under Buonaparte. 

My worthy friends in Malaga and Xeres de la Fron- 
tera, did not neglect the commissions they had undertaken. 



* I beg here to mention, that I communicated to several of the most eminent 
Horticulturists and Botanists, in London and Edinburgh, Messrs, Audibert's 
plan of pacliing plants in cases lined with oiled paper (see page 75), to all of 
whom the plan was entirely new, and all of whom acknowledged it to be a 
valuable communication. The success which attended it in the case of these 
vine cuttings is decisive in its favour. 



138 



APPENDIX. 



and I received in London three cases of vines from 
Malaga, and one case from Xeres de la Frontera; but 
these arrived at too late a period to be sent to the Colony 
in close cases, and it therefore became necessary to establish 
them in open boxes. Mr. Cunningham undertook this 
labour also, and a portion of each variety of the Spanish 
vines are now also on their way to the Colony with the 
others on board the Camden. 

Of the following catalogue of vines, amounting to 75 
varieties, o2 were actually collected from the vineyards I 
myself visited in the various provinces of France through 
which my route lay. Of each of these I procured from 
10 to 20 cuttings, and I am happy to say that not one of 
the varieties is lost. Of the five varieties procured in the 
more northern climates of Burgundy and Champagne, 
as well as of the 15 varieties procured at Paris, many of 
the cuttings are dead, and one of the latter varieties is 
entirely lost. But of the 47 varieties procured from the 
warmer climates of the south, not 10 cuttings out of from 
500 to 600, have failed. The rest, with few exceptions, 
are at this date (22nd Januar}-, 1833) in the highest state 
of health and vigour ; and it is but justice to Mr. M'Lean, 
of the Botanic Garden, under whose care they have 
remained since their arrival, to acknowledge the zeal and 
attention with which he has acquitted himself of the 
charge. 



APPENDIX. 



139 



CATALOGUE FIRST.. 

[The vines in this Catalogue are arranged in the order in which they were 
received by Mr. Busby, and described to him, with the exception of eight 
varieties of rooted plants at the end of the list.] 

Vmes of Rousillon, Jrom the Vineyards of M. Durand, 
of Perfignan. 

No. 1. Carignan, — Crignane Cavoleau,— black, with a 
thick skin, deeply coloured, yields largely. This 
grape by itself would produce a dry wine. Cavo- 
leau says of this grape, that it is rich in saccharine 
matter, although harsh to the taste, and very 
mucilaginous. 

No. Grenache — black, skin very thick, but yielding 
less colour than that of the preceding. This 
grape by itself would yield a sweet wine. Cavo- 
leau adds of this grape, that it is rich in saccharine 
matter, and strongly impregnated with aroma. 

— 3. Mataro — black, skin less thick, but yielding a 
good deal of colour. This grape yields the most 
abundantly, and of itself would give a dry wine. 
Cavoleau observes, that this is the only vine of 
the province that yields annual, and almost equal, 
vintages ; the other varieties sometimes yield abun- 
dantly, but their produce is uncertain. 

Note. — The above three varieties are, in general, equally dis- 
tributed in the vineyards of the department of Pyrenees 
Orientales, and furnish the wine of exportation known by the 
name of Vin de Rousillon. 



140 APPENDIX. 

No. 4. MouRASTELL — black. This variety differs very 
little from the Mataro, but the grapes are rather 
smaller. 

— 5. St. Antoine — black ; the grape very large. It 

is a very good eating grape, although the skin is 
rather strong. The wine made from this grape 
by itself has a very agreeable flavour, but it yields 
very little. 

— 6. BLANauETTE — white, thin-skinned, of a very good 

flavour, yielding a headi^ white wine, which is em- 
ployed in giving strength to the light white wines 
of Languedoc. 

— 7. Muscat, a strongly flavoured white grape — ex- 

cellent for eating — yields little, and arrives early 
at maturity. 

— 8. PiauE-PouLLE, a pink-coloured grape — very fine 

skinned, and excellent for eating. It yields a 
light coloured wine [clairet) of agreeable flavour. 
Cavoleau says, that the wine of this grape is dis- 
tinguished for its agreeable bouquet. 

— 9. Hermitage. This variety was brought to Rou- 

sillon some years ago by M. Durand, from the 
celebrated vineyards of Hermitage, on the banks 
of the Rhone. It yields little, but the flavour of 
its produce is excellent. The wine made from 
this grape in Rousillon, has less "^wme," but 
more strength than in its original soil. 

— 10. The vines in this bundle were obtained at Col- 

lioure, about 30 miles south-east of Perpignan, 
and the bundle originally contained four varieties: 
viz. — Panse, 10 cuttings ; Pampanelle, 6 cut- 
tings; Pique poulle Noir, 5 cuttings; Gre- 
nache Blanche, 3 cuttings. But these descrip- 



APPENDIX. 



141 



tions were unfortunately mixed, and the bundle 
reduced to 12 in all. The descriptions given of the 
different varieties at Collioure were as follows : — 
No. 10-1. Panse — white — the bunches very large and 
long— the berries also large and long — produces 
plentifully — the flavour resembles the Muscat. 
It is good both for wine, and for eating — ripens 
rather early, and is a scarce variety in that 
district. 

— - 10-2. Pampanelle — black, a very delicious grape, 
but very tender. It produces abundantly, but is 
destroyed in such quantities by the bees, that 
there is seldom much fruit gathered. It also 
decays easily after rain. 
— 10-3. PiauE POULLE NoiR — black. This variety of 
the pique poulle does not produce much, except- 
ing in very favourable seasons. It yields a light 
wine, which is very early fit for use. 
10-4. Grenache Blanche^ — white. This variety of 
the grenache is only used in the district of Col- 
lioure to hang up for winter provision of grapes. 
It produces plentifully— the bunches large — the 
skin very tough, and it has always a bitter taste. 

The four following yarieties are from Rivesaltes, famous for the 
sweet wine produced there, which bears the highest reputation 
of any Vin de Liqueur in France. 

11. Macabeo — white. This variety of itself yields 
a sweet wine, almost equal to the Muscat. The 
bunches are large, and keep well when suspended 
for winter provision. Cavoleau observes, that small 
quantities of Macabeo wine are made by private 
families for domestic consumption, but it is never 
found in commerce. 



APPENDIX. 



12. Muscat. This is the grape which is chiefly 
employed in making the celebrated sweet wine of 
Rivesaltes. According to the statement made by 
the vigneron, from whom the cuttings were pro- 
cured, 500 stocks yield 200 bottles of wine. Cavo- 
leau observes, that there are three varieties of the 
Muscat employed in making the wine of Rive- 
saltes; viz. — " The Muscat of Alexandria — the 
round white Muscat, and particularly the St. 
Jacques." It is not ascertained to which of these 
descriptions this variety belongs. 
/- Grenache Blanche. This variety is de- 
7 scribed under No. 10. 

i Pique poulle Noir. This variety is also de- 
' scribed under No. 10. 

One of these two varieties was joined with the bundle of Col- 
lioure vines (No. 10), but I find I have not noted which of 
the two, 



The following 25 varieties (from 14 to 38, inclusive) are from 
the vineyards in the neighbourhood of Montpelier, in the 
department of Herault, formerly Languedoc. 
Cavoleau does not notice the varieties of vines cultivated in this 
department, which is not celebrated for the qualities of its 
•\rine in general, although it produces the famous Muscat \\-ines 
of Frontignan and Lunel. Of 45,000,000 gallons of wine 
annually produced in the department of Herault, 28,100,000 
are converted into brandy or spirits of Mine. 

14. Ayade — white — yields well, and is good both 
for eating and for wine. 

15. Mourastell — black. A very good grape, came 
originally from Perpignan. See No. 4. 

16. Ayade noir — black. Produces plentifully, and 
is good for making brandy. 



APPENDIX. 



143 



No. 17. Calignan — black. This is the best variety for 
making brandy ; it yields well. 

— 18. Ramonen — black. Yields largely, and is also 

suitable for distillation. 

— 19. Terret — black. Yields well, and is also suit- 

able for brandy. 

— 20. Fontainbi.eau. An excellent eating grape, and 

ripens very early. 
— ^21. EsPAR — white. This variety is good for brandy, 
but does not yield much. 

— 22. Chasselas — white. This is an eating grape, 

but also yields a good white wine. 
— • 23. Ugne — white. Makes a good white wine — 
ripens early. 

— 24. Muscat — black. Yields well, and is good for 

brandy. 

— 25. Madeleine — white. Ripens very early, but is 

not good, either for wine or brandy. 

— 26. Corinth — black. Is excellent both for wine 

and brandy, and yields well. 

— 27. Terret Bourret. Yields very well, and is 

excellent for distillation. 

— 28. Aspirant Verdal. Produces largely, and 

yields a fine wine. 

— 29. Olivette. A very large white grape, good both 

for wine and brandy. It is also put into brandy 
to give it a flavour — it yields well. 

— 30. Clairette de Limousin. Produces abund- 

antly, and yields a peculiar and excellent white 
wine. 

— 31. MERVEiLLE—black. Yields well, and is good 

for brandy. 

— 32. Aspirant — black. Yields largely —is excellent 



144 APPENDIX. 

for eating, and makes good wine, but is worth 

nothing for brandy. 
No. 33. EsPAR NoiR— black. Yields well, and is good 

for making brandy. 
34. Pique poulle Gris — grey. Is good for wine 

and brandy. 

35. Muscat — white. Is good for eating, for wine, 

and for brandy. 
36. Bois-DUR — black. Yields well, is good for 

brandy. 

37. Cinque saut. Yields well — produces excellent 

wine, and is also good for eating, and for brandy. 

— 38. Aramon — black. Yields well, is good for brandy. 

but not for wine. 

The follo^nng 6 varieties are from Roquevaire, the district iii 
which most of the raisins and other dried fruits of Provence 
are prepared. — Roquevaire is ahout 12 or ] 4 mUes east from 
Marseilles. Cavoleau does not notice the qualities of the 
vines of this department. 

— 39. Panse or Passe — white. This is the grape with 

which the best raisins of Provence are made. The 
bunches are large, the skin of the berry is tender. 
M. Negrel Ferand * says, that " this is a very 
strong and vigorous vine, which requires a rich 
soil to give it all the development of which it is 
capable. Placed in these circumstances, it pro- 
duces abundance of grapes of an extraordinary 
largeness, which are excellent both for eating and 
to preserve for the winter. It vegetates very 
early, requires to be pruned rather long, and 
succeeds perfectly in the trellis." 



* Statistique des Bouches du Rhone. Marseilles, ] 831-2. 



APPENDIX. 



145 



No. 40. Arignan — white. This grape is also dried for 
raisinsj but being much smaller than the Panse, 
the raisins bring a third less in the market. 
According to Negrel Ferand, it is an ancient 
vine, and yields a very sugary grape when cul- 
tivated on light dry soils. It is mixed in the 
proportion of a tenth with the Muscat grape to 
make the Muscat wine, and when employed alone, 
it yields a wine which, if properly treated, froths 
very well. 

— 41. Pascal— white. This grape is used in making 

white wine. According to Negrel Ferand, it is 
cultivated to a great extent in consequence of its 
abundant produce, and is good both for eating, 
and for white wine. 

— 42. Panse Musquee. This variety is said to be the 

same as the Muscat of Alexandria. It is seldom 
preserved for raisins in Provence, as they find it 
difficult to dry owing to the thickness of its skin. 
Negrel Ferand says, that though less cultivated 
than the common Panse, it is more worthy of 
attention, only that it frequently blights in flow- 
ering. The remedy which he suggests for this is 
to prune it long. He adds, that if cultivated 
with care, its raisins would rival the best raisins 
of Malaga ; but it is questionable, whether the 
degree of heat at Roquevaire is sufficient to dry 
it perfectly. 

— 43. BouTEiLLANT — black. This variety yields very 

largely, and is considered the most advantageous 
for making wine in the district, as far as quantity 
is considered. According to Negrel Ferand, it 
is a strong and vigorous vine, which yields abund- 



APPENDIX. 

a nee of large bunches of large grapes, but the 
wine, though abundant, is weak, and has Httle 
colour. 

44. Brunfourcat. This grape yields the best wine 
of the district, but in less quantity than the above. 
According to Negrel Ferand, it came originally 
from Bourdeaux, and yields an excellent wine 
when cultivated in a light soil, on the slope of a 
hill. 



The folloMing three varieties are from the Hill of Hermitage, 
and are the varieties exclusively cultivated in the hest vine- 
yards. 

45. CiRAS — Cavoleau, Scyras. This variety is alone 
used in making the best red wines of Hermitage. 
Cavoleau mentions a tradition which exists in the 
neighbourhood, that this variety was originally 
brought from Shiraz, in Persia, by one of the 
Hermits, who resided in the Hermitage, of which 
the ruins still exist on the Hill where the cele- 
brated wine of that name is produced. 

46. RoussETTE — Cavoleau, Roussanne. This va- 
riety yields by itself a dry spirituous wine, and is 
not very productive. 

47. Marsan — white. This variety by itself yields 
a sweet wine mixed with the Roussette, it pro- 
duces the best white wines of Hermitage. 



The two following varieties are vines of Burgundy, from the 
Clos Vougeot. 

48. PiNEAU Blanc, or Chaudeny — white. Pro- 
duces indifferently ; is the only variety of white 
grape cultivated in the best vineyards. 



APPENDIX. 147 

No. 49. PiMEAU NoiR — black. Produces rather more 
plentifully than the preceding, but still indiffer- 
ently. This and the above are the only varieties 
cultivated in the Clos Vougeot, and other vine- 
yards of celebrity, and this is alone used in making 
the best red wine of Burgundy. 



The three follo-\Ting are vines of Champagne from the Hill of Aj. 

— 50. PiNEAu Do RE — black. This variety was intro- 

duced into his vineyards at Ay, by M. Ruinart, 
of Rheims, some years ago, and is still confined 
to some of the best vineyards. It is much more 
productive than the other varieties of the Pineau. 

— 51. Pineau Vert — black. The variety most com- 

monly cultivated in Champagne. 

— 52. Plant Blanc, or White Pineau. This variety 

and the two preceding are exclusively cultivated 
in the vineyards, which produce the wines of 
Champagne of the first quality. 

The ahove complete the collection made in the districts I myself 
visited. ; The follomng 14 varieties (from 53 to 66 inclusive) 
were procured (six of each) from the Nursery of the Luxem- 
bourg at Paris. They are particularised by Cavoleau, as the 
most valuable in their respective districts, and the following 
account of them is taken entirely from his work. 



53. CouLANGEs DE L'YoNNE — black. This is a va- 
riety of the Pineau, of which Bosc has enumerated 
22 varieties. The two varieties which people the 
best vineyards of Burgundy and Champagne, are 
well known. This variety and the following, 
which is also a Pineau, are pointed out by Cavo- 
leau as particularly worthy of notice from being 
very productive. The Coulanges yields a very 
H 2 



118 APPENDIX. 

good wine in the department of L'Yonne, and 
produces double the quantity of the Pineau of 
Burgundy and Champagne. 
No. 54 LivERDUN — DE LA Meurthe — black. This 
variety has been lately propagated to a great extent 
in the department of La Meurthe. It yields a 
wine which will keep 10 years in the cask, and is 
so prodigiously fertile that in the worst years it 
yields more than double the average produce 
of other vines, and in abundant seasons the pro- 
duce sometimes amounts to 200 hectohtres per 
hectare; about 2,500 gallons an acre. 

— 55. Carbenet, or Carmenet a Petits Grains — 

DE LA GiRONDE— black. This variety, and the 
three following, are almost exclusively cultivated 
in the vineyards of Medoc, and the Carbenet a 
petits grains^ and Carbenet Sawvignen, are alone 
to be found in those of highest reputation. 

— 56. Carbenet Sauvignen — black. See 55. 

— 57. Malbek — black. See 55. 

— 58. Verdot — black. See 55. 

— 59. Sauvignen — white. DelaGironde. This and 

the six following varieties are cultivated in the 
vineyards, which yield the best white wines of this 
department, including Viri de Grave, Barsac, and 
Sauterne. 

— 60. Semilion — white. It is recommended that this 

variety should occupy a proportion of two thirds 
of the vineyards in which the other five varieties 
are cultivated. 

— 61. Rochalin — white. See 59. 

— 62. Blanc-doux — white. See 59. 

— 63. Pruneras — white. See 59. 



APPENDIX. 149 

No. 64. MuscADE — black. See 59. 

— 65, Verdet — white. See 59. This variety was 

also called Grose Guillaume^ by the gardeners at 
the Luxemburg. 

— 66. FoLLE Blanche — de la Charente — This is 

the variety of vine which yields the brandies of 
Cognac. There are three varieties called FoUe, 
the white, the yellow, and the green ; the two 
former are superior to the third. 

The following were rooted plants from tlio nursery of Messrs. 
Audibert Freres, of Tonelle, near Tarascon, in the Depart* 
ment of Bouches du Rhone. 

— 67. Raisin Monstreux, of Decandolle. Qualities 

not known. 

— 68. Mounestin — round, black. Fine bunches, yields 

well, is good both for eating and for wine. 

— 69. Muscat Violet. A good eating grape, and 

also for Muscat wine. 

— 70. Raisin de Dames — white. A most delicious 

eating grape, and keeps well for winter provision. 

— 71. Isabelle, an American grape, black, with a 

flavour of the raspberry. 

— 72. Muscat noir — black. Good for eating, and 

for wine. 

— 73. Vine of Upper Egypt. A very deep coloured 

grape, yielding a very dark purple juice. 

— 74. CoRNiCHON. This variety was one of four, pro- 

cured in the Garden of Montpelier, but not be- 
longing to the Luxembourg collection, the other 
three are dead. This, I think, is a very curious 
and beautifully variegated grape. 



150 



APPENDIX. 



CATALOGUE SECOND. 



Spanish Varieties. — The first seven numbers are 
those cultivated in the vineyards in the neighbourhood 
of Xeres de la Frontera, producing Sherry wines. Al- 
though the bundles of each variety were tied up sepa- 
rately, unfortunately no tickets were at'tached to identify 
them. It is hoped, however, that the following very full 
descriptions, which are taken for that purpose, from the 
work of Simon Roxas Clemente, will make this no diffi- 
cult task after they have borne fruit ; and they will serve, 
at the same time, as specimens of a mode of description 
which may perhaps be turned to future advantage*. 

No. 1. Pedro Ximenes. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Stock, large ; bark, adhering loosely. 

Branches, rather numerous, of middling length, or rather 

short ; thickness, middling. 
Colour, reddish grey, soft, the distance between the 

knots, middling. 
Secondary Branches, abundant, with enough of dwarf 

bunches {Grapillons), 
Buds, large, very pointed. 

Leaves, of middling size, sometimes rather small, rather 
irregular, slightly lobed, downy on the underside, 
smooth above, slightly attached, edges indented, 
with rather short indentations, the footstalk is almost 



* In the work of Simon Roxas Clemente, upon the varieties of vines 
cultivated in Andalusia, there are similar descriptions of 120 varieties. 



APPENDIX. 



151 



perpendicular to the leaf, and the bases of the 
nerves are red. 

Bunches, pretty numerous, of middling size, of a cylin- 
dric and conic shape, with some small grapes, which, 
however, all ripen, stalks tender. 

Berries, 5^ hnes (twelfth parts of an inch) in length, 
5 in thickness, very obtuse, the colour white, rather 
gilded (c?ore), rather transparent, easily separate 
from the stalk, soft, not fleshy, extremely sweet, 
skin very fine, ripen very early, the ring round the 
insertion of the stalk simple, with 5, and rarely 
4 angles, bright grey. 

OBSERVATIONS. 

The specific gravity of the must of this grape was, on 
the 15th September, at San Lucar, after two days' ex- 
posure to the sun before pressing, 12^ degrees of the 
h3^drometic of Baume, which is equal 1 -092 ; and at 
Paxarete, on the 2nd of October, its nmst, after four 
days' exposure, weighed 16 degrees, or 1*121. 

This grape rots more readily than any other variety, 
as it is much attacked by bees and wasps, in consequence 
of its extreme sweetness, and the fineness of its skin. Its 
must is considered the most precious either for sweet or 
dry wines, and it enters largely into the composition of 
all the most valuable wines of the south of Spain. It is 
not esteemed for brandy. 

This variety is said to have been originally trans- 
planted from Madeira and the Canaries to the banks of 
the Rhine and the Moselle, and thence by Pedro Xi- 
menes to Malaga, about two centuries ago. At Malaga 
and Grenada one half of the plants in the vineyards con- 
sist of this variety ; at Xeres, one-eighth ; at Motril, 
four-fifths ; at Paxarete, one-fourth. 



152 



APPENDIX. 



No. ^. Muscatel Menudo Blanco. (Small white.) 

DESCRIPTION. 

Stock, small, buds very early. 

Branches, rather numerous, prostrate, very unequal in 
length, weak, round, entirely naked, bright reddish 
grey, very soft, distance between the knots rather 
long, very few small bunches (Gi^apillons)^ tendrils 
opposite to the leaves and branchy. 

Leaves, rather small, rather irregular, entire, or nearly 
so, shining, green inclining to yellow, but rather 
deep in the upper side, somewhat downy, indenta- 
tions rather short, stalk smooth, and of a bright red, 
generally forming an acute angle with the leaf. 

Bunches, few, small, oval and cyhndric, very compact, 
ripens throughout, stalk rather woody. 

Berries, small, almost equal, very obtuse, rather hard, 
rather fleshy, of an insipid sweet taste, ripen very 
early, easily rot, skin rather thick, without any ring 
where the stalk is inserted. 

No. 3. Mantuo Castillan. 

DESCRIPTION, 

Stock, trunk large, head large, bark rather thin. 

Branches, not so numerous as those of the preceding, 
partly prostrate, and partly straight, long, rather 
small, round, of a clear reddish grey colour in the 
under part, and the under part white, spotted with 
red, distance between the knots, long, very few 
dwarf bunches, buds rather pointed. 

Leaves, middling size, the lower ones large, rather irre- 
gular, almost entire, shrivelled, very cottony on the 
under side, the cotton white, and adhering strongly. 



APPENDIX. 



153 



Before the maturity of the fruit the larger leaves 
take a yellow colour, the stalk a clear red, and 
almost at right angles to the leaf. 
Bunches, rather large, stalk flexible. 
Berries, 9 lines long, and 8^ thick, fleshy, very savoury? 
the veins apparent, the skin fine, the ring circular, 
and decidedly marked of a clear grey, and some- 
times with 5 angles, and of a deep reddish grey, 
commonly rather slender towards the point. 
The must of this grape marked at San Lucar on the 
15th of Sept. 9 degrees, and on the 19th of the same 
month, 91 degrees of Baume*s hydrometer, or 1-064! and 
1'069. This grape bursts and rots if exposed to rain 
after it is ripe. At Xeres it is chiefly cultivated in 
the sandy soils, and is more valued as an eating grape 
than for wine. It is also hung up to keep for winter 
provision. 

No. 4. UvA DE Rey. (White.) 

DESCRIPTION. 

Stock, large. 

Branches, few, horizontal, middling or rather small, 
round, reddish grey, rather bright, very few dwarf 
branches, few secondary branches. 

Leaves, rather small, rather irregular, generally entire, 
sometimes very slightly lobed, rather bright on the 
upper side ; the other side entirely naked, indenta- 
tions rather short, stalk naked, rather a bright red, 
almost at right angles with the leaf. 

Bunches, large, irregular, composed of small compound 
bunches, in the upper part of the bunch, and simple 
bunches towards the end, very few small berries, 
h3 



154 



APPENDIX. 



which all ripen, stalk long, of middling thickness, 
tender, greenish. 
Berries, white, rather hard, an inch long, by 10 lines in 
thickness, very unequal, very obtuse, very trans- 
parent, not fleshy, sweet, but rather harsh or rough, 
skin very fine, ring strongly marked. 

No. 5. MoLLAR. (Black.) 

DESCRIPTION. 

Stock, middling, buds in the ordinary time. 

Branches, numerous, prostrate, long, rather slender, 
round, of a deep reddish grey colour, distance be- 
tween the buds, middling, very few dwarf bunches. 

Leaves, with extremely short indentations, rather shrivel- 
led, reddish at their first developement, and after- 
wards of a very yellowish green, and rather shining ; 
they become reddish before their fall, the under 
surface covered with a very adhesive white cotton ; 
the stalk either naked or very slightly downy, of 
a reddish colour, and at rather an acute angle with 
the leaf. 

Bunches, rather large, a little irregular, with compound 
bunches in the upper part of the bunch, and simple 
bunches near the end; very few small berries, gene- 
rally all the berries ripen equally, but sometimes 
a part remain green, the stalk long, slender and 
brittle. 

Berries, eight lines in length and 8i- in thickness, 
rather unequal, very obtuse, not fleshy, the skin 
fine, the ring scarcely observable, colour blackish 
grey, ripen early. 
The must of this grape weighed at San Lucar, on the 

i5th September, 9 degrees of Baume, or 1.064; on the 



APPENDIX. 



155 



30th of the same month, at Paxarete, 12 degrees, or 
1-089. 

At Xeres, it is planted in the proportion of one third 
in the vineyards of the arenas. At Arcos, Espera, and 
Paxarete, it occupies four-fifths of the vineyards. 
No. 6. MoscATEL Gordo Blanco. (Large White.) 

DESCRIPTION. 

This variety differs from the small Muscat, by the 
great size of the stock ; by its branches, which are also 
thicker, and of a yellow reed-like colour. By its berries, 
which are a little gilded, and of 11 lines in length, by 9t 
in thickness. 

The must of this grape at Chipiona, weighed on the 
15th September, after three days' exposure to the sun, 12 
degrees, or 1-089. At Palmosa, on the 26th of the same 
month, it weighed 13 degrees, or 1096. In October, 
1808, it weighed 15 degrees, or 1.114. 

This is the grape from which are made the best 
Malaga raisins. 

No. 7. Machar Nudo. 
This variety was furnished to my friend at Xeres, by 
Don Pedro Domecq, of Machar Nudo, as the most 
valuable grape which enters into the composition of 
sherry wine, but the former forgot its name, I have 
called it Machar Nudo, till it can be identified. 



VARIETIES FROM MALAGA. 

No. 8. Muscatel. 
The same I believe as No. 6. 

No. 9. Pedro Ximenes. 
I believe the same as No. 1. 



166 



APPENDIX. 



No. 10. Larga. (White.) 

This variety is also employed at Malaga, and its envi- 
rons, in making raisins. It is called Larga from its long 
shape, the berries being 10 lines in length, and only 67 
in thickness. Its produce are called Sun raisins. It is 
a free bearer, and is said to make a good mixture with 
the Pedro Ximenes, for wine. 

No. 11. Jaen. (White.) 

This variety is cultivated in almost every Province in 
Spain, although Roxas Clemente considers it doubtful 
whether it is, in every place, the same variety which 
goes by that name. It is generall}'^ esteemed for making 
wine, and yields a large proportion of brandy. It is also 
used for Lexia raisins. It is very late in ripening. 

No. \2, Marbelli. (White.) 
This is chiefly consumed as an eating grape. This 
name is not to be found in the collection of Roxas 
Clemente. 

No. 13. Gabriel. (Black.) 

This is also an eating grape. Roxas Clemente ob- 
serves, that the only time he ever found the full number 
of seeds assigned by botanists to the vine (viz. five) was 
in a grape of this variety. 

No. 14. DoRADiLLO. (White.) 

This grape is used for wine and for Lexia raisins. 
Roxas Clemente observes, that it bears a strong affinity 
to the Jaen ; like it, it is late in bearing : it is mixed with 
the Pedro Ximenes at Malaga, in making a particular 
kind of wine. 



APPENDIX. 



15T 



No. 15. Don Bueno. (White.) 

This variety is used only in making wine. 

No. 16. Temprana. (White.) 

Roxas Clemente identifies this variety as the same with 
the common Listan and the white Palomino of Xeres. 

The must of this grape weighed at San Lucar, on the 
15th September, from 10 to 11 degrees, or 1'070 to 
1*075 ; but the must of grapes of the same variety which 
had been three days exposed to the sun, weighed 15 de- 
grees, or 1-114. 

The same author says, it unites every desirable quality 
to furnish a good wine. At San Lucar, it occupies the 
proportion of nineteen-twentieths of the vineyards ; it is 
also very extensively cultivated at Xeres and Port St. 
Mary's, and enters largely into the composition of the 
wines called Paxarete, Ximenes, Muscats, and Tintilla ; 
although it is not a large grape it is also extensively 
cultivated for eating. 

No. 17. Layren. (White.) 

This is cultivated as an eating grape at Malaga. It is 
classed by Roxas Clemente as one of the Mantuo tribe. 



Besides the vines described in the foregoing Cata- 
logues, and those which are enumerated in the subse- 
quent one, I was indebted to Mr. Allan Cunningham 
for procuring from the gardens of the Duke of Northum- 
berland, at Sion House, 44 varieties of vines. But un- 
fortunately less success has attended this, than any of the 
other importations. The only varieties of the 44 now 
alive being Warner's, Hambro', White Muscadine, Gre- 
cian Brick-coloured, Burgundy, and the Royal Mus- 
cadine. 



CATALOGUE THIRD. 



The following is the Catalogue of the National Col- 
lection of Vines in the Garden of the Luxemburg at 
Paris. They are arranged according to the colour of the 
grape, and its form. Of the 570 varieties which it com- 
prises, 433 were obtained from the Botanic Garden of 
Montpelier, and 110 from the Garden of Luxemburg at 
Paris. After a careful examination, it has been ascer- 
tained that at this date (Jan. 22, 1833) 362 varieties are 
alive, and, for the most part, healthy. The rest are 
dead, but, as before stated, it is hoped their places will 
be supphed by the duplicates now on their way to the 
Colony. Of the 362 varieties, both cuttings of 157 are 
alive, and only one cutting of each of the remaining 205. 

The Professor of Botany at Montpelier had been able 
to identify, or class, many of those varieties which are 
unnamed in the original Catalogue, and many of its 
voids are accordingly filled up in this. The varieties 
thus ascertained are distinguished by being inserted in 
italics. 

VIGNES. 

FRUITS NOIRS OVALES, 

{Black Oval-shaped Grapes.) 

Plate-Bande. 1. Maroquin, de THerault 
2. 
3. 



* These numbers refer to their arrangement in the nursery of the 
Luxemburg. 



APPENDIX. 



159 



1." 4. Carignan, de I'Herault 

Plate-Baiide. 5. Merle d'Espagne, Landes 
6. 
7. 

8. Pinneau de Coulanges, Yonne 

9. Olivette blanche, deV Htrault 
10. 

11. 

12. Pique poulle rouge^ de V Htrault 

13. Boudales, Hautes-Pyrenees 

14. Merbvegie, Dordogne 

15. Alicant, de VHerauU 
16. 

17. Raisin noir, tres gros, murissant tres tard 
18. 

1.9. Moutardier, Vaucluse 

20. Malaga, Lot 

21. 

22. 

23. Bourdelas, Jura 

24. Uliade rouge, de I'Herault • 

25. Cinq saut, de V Htrault 
26. 

27. Clairette rouge, de VHerauU 
28. 

29. Plant de Pougealle noir 
30. 

31. Loge Vienne 
32. 

33. Grain de raisin Maroquin noir 

34. Servent noir, de THerault 

35. Plant de Malin, Cote d'Or 

36. Morostelle 
37. 

2.^ 38. Grain de raisin hlanc. Ovale, de Divan 

Plate-Bande. 39. 

40. 

41. Muscat d'Espagne de I'Herault 

42. Barbera noir, P6 

43. Clialiane, Drdme 

44. Cargue-bas, Lot-et-Garonne 
45. 

46. Raisin perle, Jura 
47. 



60 



APPENDIX. 



2/ 48. 
Plate-Bande. 49. Raisin Cornichon, Cazaliz 
50. 

51. Raisin rouge. Drome 

52. 

53- 

54. Perlossette, Dr6me 

55' Rochelle noir, Seine-et-Marne 

56. Pineau fleuri, Cote d'Or 

57- 

58. 

59. 

60. 

61. 

62. 

63. Meunier, Environs de Paris 

64. Idem 

65- Meillet blanc, Environs de Par 
66. Idem 

67' Aspirant, de THerault 

68. Bouteillant, Bouches-du-Rhone 

69- Brune, Maine-et-Loire 

70. Noireau, Environs de Paris 

71. 

72. 

73. 

74. Pineau noir, Vienna 
75- Charge-mulet, de THerault 
3'e 76- Colonban, M. Audibert 

Plate-Bande. 77- Aspiran noir, le vrai Audiben 

78- Ciotat raisin 

79- Verjus (^douteux) 
80. Teinturier, Vaucluse 

81' Soule-bouvier, de I'Herault 
82' Aramon noir 
83- Grognon noir 

84. Passadoule Bougie 

85. Plant de la barre 

86- Rouge Espagiiol, Landes 
87' Ugne blanche 
88. Tokai de Hongrie 
89- Celital blanche 
90' Navarre, Landes 
91- Olivan 



APPENDIX. 



3. 92« Grenache 

Plate-Bande. 93. Liverdun bon vin, Vosges 

94. Bourguignon noir, Seine-et-Marne 

95. Negron de Vaucluse 
96' Muscat noir, du Jura 
97' Terret Mourreau noir 

98' Muscat rouge^ Blanc panache 

99- Maroquin 
100* Pulsare, Haute-Saone 
101- Melarot 

102. Pique-poulle noir 

103. AUade 

104. Terre de Barry noir 

105. Berardi, Vaucluse 

106' Liverdun bon vin, Vosges 
107' Grenache 
108- Gale Blanc 

109. Moulon 

110. Asctate-Saume, Pyrenees- orientales 

111. Espagner 

112. Negrette 
113. 

114- 

FRUITS NOIRS RONDS- 
{Black, round Grapes.) 

4.' 

Plate-Bande. 115' Croc, Mayenne 

116- Blanc-Madame, Hautes-Pyrenees 

117- Dolceto, PA 

118. Balzamina, P6 

119. Augiber blanc 
120' Negrun 

121' Trousseau, Jura 

122- Espagnins, Boucbes-du- Rhone 

123. 

124. 

125- Terret^ Vaucluse 

126- Grenache^ Vaucluse 
127. 

128- Sparse grosse, Vaucluse 

129' '- menue, idem 

130. Jacobin, Vienne 

131' Bourbon Longue, Vaucluse 



162 



APPENDIX. 



. 4.« 132« Quenoise 

Plate-Bande. 133. Bordelais, May«nne 

134. Camarau rouge, Hautes-Pyren^es 
135' Pique-poule noire, Landes 
336. 

137- Aleatico, P6 

138. Rive d'Alte, Lot 

139. 

140. 

141. 

142« Caular, Vaucluse 

143- Sanmoireau, Seine-et-Marne 

144' Mauzac noir. Lot 

145' P tear din, Vaucluse 

146' Plant droits Vaucluse 

147. Nerre, Haute-Marne 

148' autre variete, idem 

149- Melon, Jura 
150' Teinturier, Vienne 
151- Gre hlanc, Vaucluse 
5.e 152. Clairette, Vaucluse 

Plate-Bande- 153- 
154. 

155' Terrei} Montpelier 
156. 

157- Terret, H^rault 

158. Tinto, Ardeche 

159. Torzia, Vaucluse 

160. Grignoli, P6 
161- Sirodino, idem 
162. 

163. 
164. 
165- 

166' Rothe Hintsche, Bas-Rhia 

167. Francois noir, Aube 

168' Pique-poule SorMer, Dordogne 

169. Pampigoetj Bernardy 

170. Spar, Bernardy 

171. Brunfourca, Bouches-du- Rhone 

172. Gruselle, Drome 

173. Claverie rouge, Landes 
174. 

175. Hauvage 



APPENDIX. 



163 



5. « 176, Negret, Haute-Garonne 
Plate-Bande. ]77' L'Houmeau, Charente 

178. Almandis, Gironde 

179. 'Guila noir, Dordogne 

180. Pique-poule, Lot-et-Garonne 

181. Pique-poule noir, Dordogne 

182. Raisin noir, Drome 

183. Baclau, Jura 
184. 

185. Vacarise, Vaticlnse 

186. Garnet noir, Haute-Saone 

187. Epicier grande espece, Vienne 

188. Raisin Suisse de I'Aube 

189. Coda di volpe, Pd 

6. « 190. Balavri, idem 
Plate-Bande. 191. Sparse Sarastante, Vauchise 

192. Tokai, Haute-Pyrenees 

193. Noirien, Aube 

194. FoUe noire, Charente-Inferieure 
195. 

196. 

197. Ugni noi)\ Vaucluse 

198. 

199. 

200. Cortese nera, P6 

201. Berardy^ Vaiccluse 

202. Verdan, Vauchise 
203- Plant droit, Yaucluse 
204. Meunier, Bas-Rhin 

205' Clairette rose, Bouches-du- Rhone 
206. 

207. Raisin panache, Thonelle, Bouches-du- Rhone 

208. Lignage, Maine-et-Loire 
209. 

210. 

211- Morillon noir, Bas-Rhin 

212. Gandie, Dordogne 

213. Matinen, Bonches-du-Rhone 
214- 

215. Gros Raisin noir de Pages, idem 

216. Pineau noir de TYonne 

217. Mansein noir, Landes 

218. Biron, Lot 



164 



APPENDIX. 



6/ 219. Amarot, Landes 

Pkte-Bande. 220. Chasselas, Bouches-du-Rhone 
221. 

222. Epicier, petite espece, Vienne 

223. Madeleine noire, Seine 

224- Olivette noir, Bouches-du Rhone 

225. Cornet, Drome 

226. Courbu, Hautes-Pyrenees 

7." 227. Corinthe sans Pepin, Bouches-du-Rhone 

Plate-Bande. 228. 

229. 

230* Aspirant, Bouches-du-Rhone 
231. 

232. Chailloche, Charente 

233. Teinturier, Vienne 

234. Madeleine blanche 

235. Morillon noir, Jura 

236. Arrouya, Hautes-PjTenees 

237. Picardan gros, Vaucluse 
238. 

239. Plant sauvage, Yaucluse 

240. Ddgoiitant, Charente 

241. Clairette de Die, de I'H^rault 
242. 

243. 

244. Pineau noir, Cote-d'Or 

245. Maclon, Isere 
246. 

. 247. 

248. Saint-Jean rouge de I'Hdrault 

249. Raisin Turc, Bouches-du-Rhone 

250. Canut noir. Lot 
251. 

252. Muscat hlanc, Bouches-du-Rhone 

253. Pied de Perdrix noir, Hautes-Pyrenees 

254. Navarro, Dordogne 

255. Lardau, Drome 
256. 

257. Berardi, grande espece, Vaucluse 

258. Espar, H^rault 

259. Tripied, Alpes-maritimes 
260. 

261. Tibaurin, Bouches-dvr Rhone 

262. Gros-noir, Charente 



APPENDIX. 



7/ 263. Morillon noir, Doubs 

Plate-Bande, 264. Lambrusquat, Hautes-Pyrenees 

265. Grosse Serine, Isere 

266. Touzan, Lot-et-Garonne 
8/ 267. Malvoisie rouge, P6 

Plate-Bande. 268. 

269. Pique-poiile noir, Yaucluse 

270. Pernan, C6te-d"0r 

271. Roclielle noire, Seine-et-Marne 
272. 

273. 

274- Cbasselas noir, Doubs 
275. Marseillais, Yaucluse 
276- Pineau franc, Haute-Saone 
277. 

278. Raisin rouge, Cantal 

279. Alicant, Lot 

280. Estrange, Lot-et-Garonne 

281. Clair ette Uanche 

282. Merveillat, Yaucluse 

283. Olivette Bouches-du- Rhone 
284. 

285, Ugne, Yaucluse 

286. Parpemi, P6 

287- Muscat Rouge, Bouches-du- Rhone 
288, 

289. Cornichon, Bouches-du-Rhone 

290. Alexandrie noir, Doubs 

291. Muscat noir, P6 
292- 

293. Barharoux, Bouches-du-Rhone 

294. Tres dur, Bouches-du-Rhone 
295. 

296. Pinnaut Blanc 
297. 

298. Cornichon Rouge 

299. Idem 
300. 

301. 
302. 
303. 
304. 



166 



APPENDIX, 



BLANCS, GRAINS OVALES- 
( White, Oval-shaped Grapes.) 

Plate-Bande. 305. Boutinoux, Dr6me 

306. Clair ette blanche 

307. Pinnaut blanc 

308. Vicane, Charente-Inferieure 
309. 

310. Picardin de I'Herault 

311. Olivette, Bouches-du-Rhone 

312. Chalosse, Lot-et-Garonne 

313. Bouboulenque, Vaucluse 

314. Jacobin, Vienne 

315. Gamau, Drome 

316. Muscatelle, Lot 

317. Grand blanc, Haute-Garonne 

318. Amadon, Charente-Inferieure 

319. Arbonne, Aube 

320. Weiss Klefeln du Haut Rhin 

321. Clairette de Limoux, de TH^rault 

322. Aramond blanc, idem 
323. 

324. Folle blanche, Charente-Inferieure 

325. Sales Blanc, Bernardy 
326. 

327. Panse musqu^e, Bouches-du-Rhone 

328. Servinien de I'Yonne 

329. Ealliade blanche^ Bernardy 

330. Pied said de la Mayenne 

331. Uliade de THerault 

332. Qualitor, idem 

333. Pinnaut {tres acide) 
334. 

335. Grec rouge, Bernardy 

336. Raisin perle, Jura 

337. Sauvignon blanc, Hautes-Pyrenees 
338. 

339. Doncinelle, Lot 

340. Rajoulen, Lot 

341. Bourret, Drome 

342. Claverie male, Landes 



APPENDIX. 



16T 



]0.^ 343. 
Plate-Bande. 344. 

345. 

346. Bourgelas, Vosges 
347. 

348. Plant Pascal, Bouches-du-Rlione 

349. Clair ette de Vaucluse 

350. Plant de Sales, Bouclies-du-Rli6ne 

351. Chenein, Vienne 
352. 

353. 

354. Plant vert de I'Yonne 

355. Pique-poule, Lot-et~Garonne 

356. Pans commnne, Bouclies-du-Ilhone 
357. 

358. 
359. 
360. 
361. 

362. Muscat d'Alexandrie, de I'Herault 

363. Cecan, de Haute-Garonne 

364. Grosse perle, de Seine-et-Marne 

365. Piquant-Paul, Basses-Alpes 
^ 366. Verdat, Vaucluse 

367. Joannen, idem 

368. Olivette, idem 
369. 

370. Olivette ronde^ Bernardy 

371. Caliter blanc^ Bernardy 

372. Malvoisie, P6 

373. Bon-blanc, Doubs 

374. Assadoule 
S75. 

376. Malvasie, Pyrenees-Orientales 

377. 

378. 

379. 

380. 



168 



APPENDIX. 



BLANCS, GRAINS RONDS. 
( White) round Grapes.) 

11.- 

Plate-Bande. 381. Joli blanc, Charente 

382. Raisin de crapaud, Lot 

383. Nebiolo commun, P6 

384. Paugnette, Bernard^. 

385. Pique-poule, Landes 

386. Rougeasse, Lot 
387. 

388. Melier blanc, Jura 

389. Rischling, Bas-Rhin 

390. Doncinelle Bernardy 

391. Maulas, Bernardy 

392. Lourdaut, Drome 

393. Muscat blanc, Jura 
394. 

395. 

. 396. Picardan blanc, Bernardy 
397' Grosse variete blanche, Bas-Rhin 

398. Chasselas dor6, Seine-et-Marne 

399. Chasselas, Jura 

400. Ciotat, Seine 
401. 

402. 
403. 
404. 

405. Saint-Rabier blanc, Charente 

406. Dammery blanc, Yonne 

407. Sauvignon blanc, Charente- Inferieure 

408. Grand Benadu, Bernardy 
409. 

410. Fie jaune, Vienna 
4] 1. Fie vert, idem 

412. Maroc, Bernardy 

413. Terret Bourret, Bernardy 

414. Unie blanc, Bouches-du- Rhone 

415. Gouais petit. Jura 

416. Calcede, Landes 
417. 

418. Blanc Corinthe de grain, Bernardy 



APPENDIX. 



169 



12. « 419. Arranjan petit, Landes 
Plate-Bande. 420. Samignon, Jura 

421. Printannier, Hautes-Pyrennees 

422. Chasselas miisque, Seine-et-Marne 

423. Cascarolo blanc, P6 

424. Melon blanc, Cote-d'Or 

425. Forte-queue, Deux-Sevres 
426- Doucet, Lot-et-Garonne 

427. Mauzac blanc, Lot 

428. Herbasque, Alpes-Mari times 

429. Hennant blanc, Seine-et-Marne 

430. Calitor noir, Bernardy 

431. Eragnon noir, idem 

432. Muscat rouge^ idem 

433. Clairette de Limoux, THerault 

434. Gros-blanc, Moselle 

435. Burger, Bas-Rhin 

436. Maraquin, Bernardy 

437. Vergus, Bernardy 

438. Saint-Pierre blanc, Charente 

439. Petit Ribier, Bernardy 

440. Picardan, Bernardy 

441. Mai-mot, Marne 

442. Rivesalte, Charente 

443. Claverie, Hautes-Pyrfenees 

444. Arbois, Maine-et-Loire 

445. Chopine, Aisne 
446. 

447. Colombon, Bernardy 

448. Gouaisjaune, Vienne 

449. Auvernat, Maine-et-Loire 

450. Pique poule, Bernardy 

451. Prunyeral, Lot. 

452. Servinien cendre de I'Yonne 

453. Pineau blanc, Cote-d'Or 

454. Gulard, Haute-Garonne 

455. Pique-poule, idem 

456. Ugne Lombarde, Vaucluse 
13.^ 457. Pique-poule noir, Bernardy 

Plate-Bande. 458* Rocbelle blanche, Seine-et-Marue 

459. Saint-Jaume, Landes 

460. Blavette 

461. Courtanet, Lot-et-Garonne 



170 



APPENDIX. 



13/ 462. 
Plate-Blande. 463. 

464. Plant de Languedoc, Bouches-du- Rhone 

465. 

466. 

467* Muscat d'Espagne, Herault 

468. Blanc doux, Landes 

469. Latrut, idem 

470. Drouais, Bernardif 

471. Raisin grec, Vaucluse 

472. Fourmente, Aisne 

473. Merle blanc, Landes 
474. 

475. 

476- Aligot6, Cote-d'Or 

477. Kniperle, Bas-Rhin 

478. Guilandoux, Lot-et-Garonne 
479' Sauvignon du Jura 

480. Mansein blanc des Landes 
481' Semillon, Lot-et-Garonne 
482. 

483' Guillemot blanc des Landes 

484. 

485. 

486. Olivette noir, Bernardy 

487. Muscat noir, Bernardy 

488. Chassela Crussant de grain 

489. Raisin blanc, P6 

490. Valentin blanc, Alpes-maritimes 

491. Maroquin, Bernardy 

492. Plant de Demoiselle, Bouclies-du-Rhone 

493. Martinen, Bernardy 
14. e 494. Raisin vert, Bas-Rhin 

Plate-Bande. 495. Bourguignon blanc, Haute-Marne 
496. Camarau blanc, Hautes-PjT^nees 
497- 

498. Rousselle, Bernardy 

499. Ulliade, Bernardy 
500. 

501. 

502. Clairette menue blanche, de Vaucluse 
503. 

504' Bonne Vituegne, Bernardy'' 



APPENDIX. 



505. Tokai, ou Pinneaut Gris 
506. 

507. Raisin de poche, Bernardy 
508. 
509, 
510. 

511. Clairette, Bernardy 
512. 
513. 

RAISINS GRIS OU VIOLETS; GRAINS OVALES. 
{Grey or violet-coloured Grapes ; oval-shaped.) 

514. Pique-poule gris, de I'Herault 

515. Feldlinger, Bas-Rhin 

516. Raisin Turc, Bernardy 
517. 

518. Gentil brun, Bas-RHn 

519. Blanquette violette, Pyrenees-Orientales 

520. Mornin^ c'est un chasselas^ Bernardy 
521: 

522. 

523. Damas violet, de THerault 

524. Aramon, Bernardy 
525. 

526. 

527. Muscat de Rome, Bernardy 

528. Chatus, Bernardy 

529. Malvoisie, Bernardy 
530. 

531, Raisin Cornichon, San Pepin 
532. 

GRAINS RONDS. 
{Round Grapes.) 

15.« 533. Miiller reben, Moselle 

Plate-Bande. 534. Muscat rouge, Loir-et-Cher 

535. Marvoisin, Loire 

536. Feldlinger, Bas-Rhin 

537. Braquet gris, Alpes-Maritimes 
538. 

539. 



Plate-Bande. 



172 



APPENDIX. 



15.^ 540. Gromier \'iolet, Cantal 

Plate-Bande, 541. Muscat rouge, Seine-et-Mame 
542. Chasselas violet, F6 
543. 
544. 

545. Grec rouge. Drome 

546. Pineau gris, Cote-d'Or 

547. Blanquette rose {ovale) 

548. Muscat noir 

54:9. 

550. THpion Gros, Raisin rond 

551. Malvoisie violet 

552. Caillaba noir Musque 
553. 

554. 

555. Muscat rose 
556. 

557. Elizabeth 

558. Papan, ou Cornichon blanc 
559. 

560. Maroc noir 

561. 

562. 

563. 

564. 

565. 

566. 

567. 

568. 

569. 

570. 



173 



INDEX. 



Albariza, soil wliicli produces the finest Sherry Wine so called, 7. 
, Analysis of, ibid. 

Agriculture, barbarous state of, in Andalusia, 9. 

Agricultural Establishment, description of an extensive, near Perpignan, 66. 

Aloe, much used for fences in Andalusia, 10. 

Almond, Jordan, cultivated in a limited district near Malaga,"47. 

— . value of, ibid. 

Antequera, tract of country from Seville to, described, 37. 
Algiers, notice of the French Colony there, 124. 

Arenas, description of soil in the neighbourhood of Xeres, so called, 11. 
produces inferior wine, 12. 

Brandy, added to all Sherries except some of the finest, 4. 
Wines of Languedoc, chiefly converted into, 85. 

Botanic Garden of Montpelier, description of, 85; Ecole, or collection of 
vines there, 85 ; urbanity and liberality of its Director, ibid. 

Burgundy Wine, how made, 120 ; quality of, depends much upon the season, 
ibid; great value of, 121. 

Beze, vineyard of, 117. 

Champagne, wine of, treatment of, in bottles, 126. 

.. large produce per acre, 127. 
Climate of Malaga, notice of, 50. 
Cashmere Goats at Perpignan, 83. 
Capers, how preserved, 99; how cultivated, 100. 

Cote d'Or, department of, extremely fertile, 113; soil of, strongly calcareous, ■ 
117 ; very thickly peopled, 116. 



174 



INDEX. 



Clos Voiigeot, description of, 121. 

Collioure, wine of, seldom drunk in its pure state, 75. 

Chambertin, vineyard of, 1 1 7. 

Cosperou, wine of, how made, 76. 

Diet of Labourers at Xeres, notice of, 11, 17. 
■ INIalaga, 38. 

■ in the south east of France, 73. 

Farm Buildings in Andalusia, \vretched state of, 28 ; a contrast to the condi- 
tion of wine cellars, and buildings in the vineyards, ibid. 

Figs, dried, mode of preparing, 98 ; extent to which formerly produced in 
Provence, 99. 

Fruit, account of, exported from Malaga, 46. 

Fruits, dried, of Provence, 97. 

Gypsum, used in making Sheny "Wine, 19. 

Hermitage, wines of, greatest part of the first growths sent to Bourde^tux 
to mix \^ith Claret, 104; how made, ibid; probable cause of their su- 
periority, 108. 

-sdneyards of, very limited in extent, 107. 

Hieronomite Monks, a convent of, extensive farmers near SevillCj^ 30. 

Horned Cattle of Andalusia, 9. 

I Rousillon, 71. 

Horses, Royal depot of, at Perpignan, 81. 

Insects, destructive to the stocks of vines at Xeres if neglected, 16. 

Irrigation of Gardens near Xeres, 13. 

— ■ Orange Groves at Seville, 36. 

■ to what extent carried in Rousillon, 82. 

Jos6 Maria, a famous brigand, notice of, 37. 

Languedoc, wines of, chiefly converted into Brandy, 85. 

Machar Nudo, description of a vineyard of that name near Xeres, 14. 
Malaga, exports from, 46. 

Avines of, chiefly exported to America, 51. 

dry Avines of, very inferior to Sherry, 51. 

sweet wines, Mountain, ibid. 

Muscat, ibid. 

Manure, used in the vineyards of Xeres, 8, 12. 



INDEX. 



175 



Manure never used in the vineyards of Malaga, 41. 

not used iu the best vineyards of Rousillon, 79. 

used in large quantities in Languedoc, 85; also at Hermitage,] 09 . 

use of very common, in the ordinary vineyards of Burgundy, but never 

used in vineyards of reputation, 115, 122. 
used with great caution in Champagne, 1 30. 

Manzinilla, a wine of the south of Spain so called, 2 ; preferred to all others 

by all classes where it is grown, ibid. 
Montillado, a very dry species of Sherry, 4. 

Noria, a very simple engine for raising water, 13; description of, 22. 
Nursery at Tarascon very extensive and well conducted, 91, 

Oil, Olive, the universal substitute for butter in Spain, and the southern parts 
of France, 72. 

more congenial to health in hot climates, ibid. 

preferred by the peasantry of Spain when rancid, 34. 

Olives, mode of preserving, 92. 

Olive Trees, plantations of, near Xeres, 5. 

remarkable instance of the facility with which they take root, 1 2. 

estimate of their produce at Xeres, 12. 

Seville, 30. 

Alcala, 33. 

..- Perpignan, 65. 

order of bearing, and mode of pruning, 94. 

. in Provence subject to gTeat injuries from the frost, ibid. 

Orange Groves, near Seville, description of, 36. 
regularly irrigated, ibid. 

Plants, new mode of packing, 91. 

Plough of Andalusia, of the rudest construction, 14. 

Prickly Pear, admirable fences formed of, in Andalusia, 9. 

recommended to the attention of the Settlers of New South 

Wales, ibid. 
Presses for extracting oil at Seville, 30, 34. 

Props for supporting vines first observed at Hermitage in coming from the 
South, 108. 

Provence, wines of, not so well known as they deserve to be, 101. 
Provi^nct^e, described as practised at Hermitage, 109; at Burgundy, 118; at 

Champag-ne, 129. 
Pruning of Vines, conducted with great care at Xeres, 15, 23. 
■ much neglected at Malaga, 52. 



176 



INDEX. 



Pruning of Vines, which produce the Muscatel raisins, peculiai' mode of, 41 : 
how conducted in Rousillon, 68; in Provence, 101; at Hermitage, 110. 

Raisins, Muscatel, of Malaga, how prepared, 42 ; limited extent of land pro- 
ducing, 40, 43 ; quantity produced per acre, and value, 44. 

Sun, or Bloom, 44. 

Lexia, 45. 

of Provence, preparation and value of, 96 ; quantity produced, 98. 

Rheims, chief seat of the trade in Champagne wines, 124. 
Rivesaltes, vineyards of, produce the first sweet wines of France, 78 ; wine of. 
how made, 79. 

Roquevaire, principal seat of the preparation of dried fruits in Provence, 91. 
Rousillon, wine of, how made, 69 ; chiefly exported to Paris, 70. 

Sainfoin, sown in Burgundy as a preparation of the soil for vines, 115. 
Seville, exports from, 35. 

Sherry, not a natural wine, 3 ; how prepared for the market, ibid ; how it is 
made, 19 et seq. ; often made from grapes much decayed, 20; sometimes 
turns sour, 26 ; stock of, equal to many years' consumption, ibid ; general 
observations on, 57 et seq. 

Sheep of Andalusia, 9. 

RousiUon, 72. 

the Bergerie Royale, near Pei'pignan, 83. 

Scuddiness, or Motheriness, in Sherry -vvines, probable cause of, 18, 59. 
Soleras, casks in which Sherry -nines are ripened, so called, 3 ; are said to 

contain sometimes ^vine 50 years old, ibid. 
Silk Worms, rearing of, very profitable, 103. 

Soil, general remarks relative to its influence upon the quality of the wine 

produced upon it, 131. 
Sugar, cultivated at Almunecar, in the south of Spain, 48. 

Trenching the Soil, customary before planting vines in the vineyards of 
Xeres, 17 ; only partial at Malaga, 40 ; not customary in Rousillon, 67; 
very deep at Hermitage, 108. 

Travelling, danger of, through the South of Spain, 29. 

Vines, number 6f varieties cultivated at Xeres, 12. 

varieties of, which }-ield the finest Sherries, scarce, 16. 

number of varieties, cultivated at Malaga, 52. 

variety of, which jields the finest INIalaga raisin, only grows in a limited 

district, 40. 
of Rousillon, notice of, 66. 



INDEX. 



177 



Vines National Collection of, in the Botanic Garden of Montpelier, 85. 

closeness and feebleness of those of Burgundy, 123. 

extreme closeness and feebleness of those of Champagne, 131. 

Vineyards of Xeres, descriptions of, 6, 11, 14, 23; estimate of their extent 

produce, and value, ibid. 
Malaga, description of, 39; value of, 50. 

— Rousillon, description of, 66 et seq. ; quantity and value of their 

produce, 68. 

-— — Rivesaltes exceedingly stony, 78. 

Collioure and Port Vendre terraced, 74. 

Hermitage, 107. 

Burgundy, 116. 

Champagne, 127; great importance of a southern exposure, 128. 

Burgundy and Champagne, much injured by the winter of 

1829, 130; striking examples of the effects of industry and skill, 131. 
celebrity, limited extent of, proverbial, 133; to what attributable, 

ibid. 

Weevil, scarcely known in the South of Spain, 31. 

Wines, not allowed by law to be sold for consumption in the South of Spain 

till twelve months old, 26. 
dry of reputation, believed to be always produced in calcareous soils, 

131; striking illustration of this at Hermitage, 132. 
■ sweet, qualities of, more owing to the kind of grape, and the mode 

of making, than to the soil, 132. 
boiled, what it is, 4 ; used to give body and colour to thin and light 

coloured wines at Xeres, ibid ; gives the brown colour to Mountain 

Malaga, 52. 
Wine Cellars of Xeres very extensive, 2. 

• very remarkable subterranean, at Rheims, 125. 

Wine Presses, Spanish, of very rude construction, 8 ; description of a very 

complete one at Tournon, 104. 
Wool, curious fact relative to the export of, from Spain, 36. 

Xeres de la Frontera, one of the richest tows of Spain, 2 ; owes its wealth to 
the excellence of the wine grown in its vicinity, 5. 



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